WEBVTT Kind: captions; Language: en 00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:05.001 Celebrating our 22nd year of service to the worldwide amateur radio community, we 00:00:05.001 --> 00:00:07.001 are This Week in Amateur Radio. 00:00:08.000 --> 00:00:10.001 You are all amateur radio and technology news 00:00:10.001 --> 00:00:12.000 magazine and bulletin service of the air. 00:00:12.001 --> 00:00:19.000 This is edition number 1144, the first in our 22nd year of service with a release 00:00:19.000 --> 00:00:22.000 and air date of Saturday, January 30th, 2021. 00:00:23.000 --> 00:00:25.001 Please take the program to your air following the Q-Tone. 00:00:32.000 --> 00:00:36.001 With this edition of This Week in Amateur Radio, we are officially celebrating 00:00:36.001 --> 00:00:40.000 our 22nd year of service to the amateur radio community worldwide. 00:00:41.000 --> 00:00:45.001 We are This Week in Amateur Radio, North America's premier amateur radio and 00:00:45.001 --> 00:00:48.000 technology news magazine and bulletin service of the air. 00:00:49.000 --> 00:00:53.000 Here are the stories for release around the earth as we come to air with edition 00:00:53.000 --> 00:00:58.001 number 1144, the beginning of our 22nd year of This Week 00:00:58.001 --> 00:01:00.000 in Amateur Radio. 00:01:01.000 --> 00:01:06.001 President Joseph Biden taps Commissioner Jessica Rosenwursel as acting FCC chair. 00:01:07.001 --> 00:01:11.001 Ham Radio's Suitsat returns in a short science fiction horror film 00:01:11.001 --> 00:01:13.000 called Decommissioned. 00:01:13.000 --> 00:01:18.000 The QSO Today virtual ham exposition will include a speaker track on 00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:20.000 working amateur radio satellites. 00:01:20.001 --> 00:01:26.001 The Orlando Hamcation online event and QSO party is set alongside the Orlando 00:01:26.001 --> 00:01:29.001 virtual hamcation all happening very soon. 00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:34.001 Over the horizon, radars continue to clutter up the 40 and 20 meter bands. 00:01:35.000 --> 00:01:38.000 Aeris and partners are investigating the failure of the space 00:01:38.000 --> 00:01:40.000 station amateur radio system. 00:01:41.000 --> 00:01:43.001 Germany's Friedrichshavn Hamfest plans to take place 00:01:43.001 --> 00:01:45.001 within pandemic restrictions. 00:01:46.000 --> 00:01:51.000 And a popular television series featuring amateur radio is preparing to go 00:01:51.000 --> 00:01:53.000 QRT, the ham radio way. 00:01:53.001 --> 00:01:55.000 You're going to want to take some notes. 00:01:55.000 --> 00:01:58.000 We will have the story in this week's report. 00:01:58.001 --> 00:02:01.001 These headline stories will come to you in a moment along with 00:02:01.001 --> 00:02:03.000 this week's special features. 00:02:03.001 --> 00:02:08.000 We'll visit with Bruce Page, KK5DO, and get an update from AMSAT and see what's 00:02:08.000 --> 00:02:10.000 new with all of those amateur satellites in orbit. 00:02:10.000 --> 00:02:16.000 Our technology reporter, Leo Laporte, W6TWT, talks about bringing back forums. 00:02:16.001 --> 00:02:21.000 Leo also will tell us how Google is in the process of shutting down its wide area 00:02:21.000 --> 00:02:23.001 ISP experiment called Project Loon. 00:02:24.000 --> 00:02:29.000 And he will tell us about a railroad system in northern China that is running on 00:02:29.000 --> 00:02:31.000 the now expired Adobe Flash. 00:02:32.000 --> 00:02:37.001 Australia's own Anil Ben-Shap, VK6FLAB, will introduce us to the Vagabond Ham. 00:02:37.001 --> 00:02:42.001 Our own amateur radio historian, Bill Cantinelli, W2XOY returns with another 00:02:42.001 --> 00:02:45.000 edition of the Ancient Amateur Archives. 00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:50.000 This week, Bill takes us back to November 15, 1945. 00:02:50.001 --> 00:02:54.000 That's the date that radio silence was lifted and amateurs were 00:02:54.000 --> 00:02:56.000 allowed back on the air. 00:02:56.001 --> 00:02:57.001 Well, sort of. 00:02:58.000 --> 00:03:03.001 And our tower climbing and antenna master, Greg Stoddard, KF9MP, will present 00:03:03.001 --> 00:03:07.001 part 4 of his 6-part series on writing and producing a written public service 00:03:07.001 --> 00:03:12.000 announcement to promote your next club event and to successfully get it on the 00:03:12.000 --> 00:03:14.001 air on local broadcast radio stations. 00:03:15.000 --> 00:03:21.000 And courtesy of Eric Guth, Forzid1UG, and the QSO Today podcast team, we will 00:03:21.000 --> 00:03:26.001 have a complete interview with former FCC official, Ralph Haller, and 4RH. 00:03:27.001 --> 00:03:31.001 All that and a lot more is straight ahead as North America's premier amateur 00:03:31.001 --> 00:03:35.000 radio and technology news magazine and bulletin service this week 00:03:35.000 --> 00:03:36.001 in amateur radio. 00:03:37.000 --> 00:03:39.000 Takes to the air right now. 00:03:40.000 --> 00:03:43.000 Reporting from our headquarters studio here in beautiful downtown Albany, New 00:03:43.000 --> 00:03:47.001 York, where it definitely has been a three-dog night for the past few days, I'm 00:03:47.001 --> 00:03:49.000 George W2XBS. 00:03:50.000 --> 00:03:54.001 And reporting from our news bureau in downtown Syracuse, New York from Armory 00:03:54.001 --> 00:03:59.001 Square, I'm Chris Perrine, KB2FAF. 00:03:59.001 --> 00:04:04.001 And reporting from ice station Zebra in the Catskill Mountains of New York, where 00:04:04.001 --> 00:04:09.001 the temperature barely crawled above zero degrees today, I'm Don Hulick, K2ATJ. 00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:14.001 And reporting from our news bureau in Troy, New York beneath a four-inch layer of 00:04:14.001 --> 00:04:17.001 new snow, I'm Eric, KD2RJX. 00:04:18.001 --> 00:04:22.001 And from Studio 1 of our central Florida news bureau, where this week in amateur 00:04:22.001 --> 00:04:27.000 radio celebrates 22 years of service to the amateur community, I'm Fred 00:04:27.000 --> 00:04:29.000 Fitty, November Fox, 2 Fox. 00:04:30.000 --> 00:04:34.000 And reporting from our news bureau in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where the weather 00:04:34.000 --> 00:04:39.000 can't make up its bloomin' mind, I'm Will Rogers, K5WLR. 00:04:40.000 --> 00:04:45.000 And now, to start our 22nd year of service to the amateur radio community, here's 00:04:45.000 --> 00:04:48.001 our lead anchor this week, Chris Perrine, KB2FAF. 00:04:49.000 --> 00:04:49.000 Chris? 00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:55.000 Leading off this week's news, President Joseph Biden this week designated FCC 00:04:55.000 --> 00:04:59.000 Commissioner Jessica Rosenworsal as acting chair of 00:04:59.000 --> 00:05:00.001 the Federal Communications Commission. 00:05:01.001 --> 00:05:07.001 With more details on this important appointment, we go to Rick Lindquist, WW1ME, 00:05:07.001 --> 00:05:11.000 who files this report from League Headquarters in Newington. 00:05:12.000 --> 00:05:18.000 President Joseph Biden has tapped FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworsal as 00:05:18.000 --> 00:05:20.000 acting chair of the FCC. 00:05:21.000 --> 00:05:26.001 She succeeds, at least temporarily, former FCC Chair Ajit Pai, who resigned 00:05:26.001 --> 00:05:29.000 effective on January 20th. 00:05:29.000 --> 00:05:33.000 Rosenworsal, who's been on the FCC for about eight years now, said she was 00:05:33.000 --> 00:05:37.001 honored to be designated as the acting chairwoman, and she thanked the president 00:05:37.001 --> 00:05:43.001 for the opportunity to, as she put it, lead an agency with such a vital mission 00:05:43.001 --> 00:05:45.000 and talented staff. 00:05:45.001 --> 00:05:50.000 Three other commissioners, Nathan Symington, Jeffrey Starks, and Brendan Carr, 00:05:50.000 --> 00:05:54.001 all had words of praise for the temporary appointment, although Rosenworsal could 00:05:54.001 --> 00:05:57.000 get the permanent nod as chair. 00:05:58.000 --> 00:06:02.001 Rosenworsal went on to say that it is a privilege to serve the American people 00:06:02.001 --> 00:06:06.001 and work on their behalf to expand the reach of communications opportunity 00:06:06.001 --> 00:06:08.000 in the digital age. 00:06:09.000 --> 00:06:13.001 Prior to joining the FCC, she served as Senior Communications Counsel for the 00:06:13.001 --> 00:06:18.000 United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. 00:06:18.001 --> 00:06:22.000 Before entering public service, she practiced communications law 00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:23.001 in Washington, D.C. 00:06:24.000 --> 00:06:29.000 The newest FCC Commissioner, Nathan Symington, a Republican appointee, said 00:06:29.000 --> 00:06:34.001 Rosenworsal brings deep knowledge and experience and highly informed judgment to 00:06:34.001 --> 00:06:39.000 her new position, and he expressed appreciation that the Biden administration 00:06:39.000 --> 00:06:44.001 acted promptly to establish FCC leadership by selecting such a distinguished 00:06:44.001 --> 00:06:47.000 public servant for this vital role. 00:06:48.000 --> 00:06:53.000 Fellow Democrat, Jeffrey Starks, said Rosenworsal has been a passionate advocate 00:06:53.000 --> 00:06:56.000 for bringing the benefits of broadband to all 00:06:56.000 --> 00:06:58.001 Americans, particularly our children. 00:06:59.001 --> 00:07:04.000 He said her designation as acting chair comes at a critical juncture for the 00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:08.001 Commission, as the pandemic has made bold action to end internet inequality 00:07:08.001 --> 00:07:10.000 more vital than ever. 00:07:10.001 --> 00:07:15.000 The Commission's other Democratic appointee, Brendan Carr, called Rosenworsal a 00:07:15.000 --> 00:07:20.000 talented and dedicated public servant as evidenced by her eight years of 00:07:20.000 --> 00:07:22.000 distinguished service at the FCC. 00:07:22.001 --> 00:07:27.001 On Twitter, Rosenworsal said, the future belongs to the connected, and she 00:07:27.001 --> 00:07:32.000 described herself as an important optimist, mom, wife, and an 00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:33.001 inveterate coffee drinker. 00:07:34.000 --> 00:07:39.000 Now celebrating our 22nd year keeping the amateur radio community informed, you 00:07:39.000 --> 00:07:43.001 are listening to This Week in Amateur Radio, available worldwide as a podcast 00:07:43.001 --> 00:07:49.001 from our web at www.twir.net. 00:08:10.001 --> 00:08:15.001 Suitset 1 loses its innocence in a new video short sci-fi thriller entitled 00:08:15.001 --> 00:08:17.000 Decommissioned. 00:08:17.000 --> 00:08:23.000 Inspired by true events, the video short resurrects the 2006 spacesuit and 00:08:23.000 --> 00:08:27.001 satellite that transmitted messages on two meters as it circled Earth. 00:08:28.001 --> 00:08:32.001 The original spacesuit 1 project, conceived by an amateur radio on the 00:08:32.001 --> 00:08:38.000 International Space Station team, repurposed a decommissioned Russian Orland 00:08:38.000 --> 00:08:43.000 spacesuit to function as a free-floating amateur radio transmit-only satellite. 00:08:44.000 --> 00:08:48.000 ARIS designed and built an antenna and radio gear that got approved for 00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:54.000 installation into the suit, and cosmonaut Valeriy Torkarev and Commander Bill 00:08:54.000 --> 00:09:00.001 MacArthur KC-5ACR put Suitset 1 into orbit at the start of a spacewalk, 00:09:01.000 --> 00:09:06.000 ARIS-US delegate for ARRL Rosalie White K1STO recounted. 00:09:07.000 --> 00:09:09.001 Suitset 1 transmitted a voice message. 00:09:10.000 --> 00:09:17.000 This is Suitset 1 RS0RS in several languages, plus telemetry and 00:09:17.000 --> 00:09:21.001 a slow-scan TV image on an eight-minute cycle as it orbited Earth. 00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:27.001 In the six-minute film, a Suitset returns in the future to haunt International 00:09:27.001 --> 00:09:32.000 Space Station commander Dias, played by Joy Vieira. 00:09:33.000 --> 00:09:38.000 Dias is seen taking photos from inside an observation dome on the ISS when he 00:09:38.000 --> 00:09:42.001 spies some distant space debris and radios Houston to express concern. 00:09:43.001 --> 00:09:47.000 If there was any cause for alarm, you know we'd see it too, Houston assures. 00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:53.000 As the object closes in, an increasingly anxious Dias recognizes the 00:09:53.000 --> 00:09:55.000 debris as Suitset. 00:09:55.001 --> 00:09:58.001 This is Suitset, comes a voice on the ham radio. 00:09:59.001 --> 00:10:01.001 Houston, you're not going to believe this. 00:10:02.000 --> 00:10:06.001 We're picking up transmissions on the ham radio that sound identical to the 00:10:06.001 --> 00:10:10.000 Suitset experiment, he tells a skeptical mission control. 00:10:10.001 --> 00:10:11.001 It's Suitset! 00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:13.001 I'm seeing Suitset! 00:10:14.000 --> 00:10:17.000 Suitset re-entered the atmosphere and burned up years 00:10:17.000 --> 00:10:19.001 ago, mission control responds. 00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:22.000 It's impossible, he is told. 00:10:23.000 --> 00:10:28.000 Decommission was produced by Perception Pictures and directed by Australian 00:10:28.000 --> 00:10:29.001 filmmaker Josh Tanner. 00:10:30.000 --> 00:10:35.000 He told Gizmodo that he produced the video using the Unreal Engine technology 00:10:35.000 --> 00:10:40.001 that the Mandalorian used, albeit old-school rear projection as opposed to the 00:10:40.001 --> 00:10:43.000 fancy LED wall tech they used. 00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:50.001 Suitset 1, called Radioskaaf or Radiosputnik in Russian, was so successful that 00:10:50.001 --> 00:10:56.000 another unneeded Orland spacesuit was subsequently refitted as Suitset 2. 00:10:56.001 --> 00:11:01.001 As an interesting sidebar with respect to the real Suitset, White explained, 00:11:02.000 --> 00:11:07.000 after the ARIS engineers calculated Suitset's 1 orbit and spin characteristics, 00:11:07.001 --> 00:11:11.001 they knew the legs and arms would have to be filled with something, so they asked 00:11:11.001 --> 00:11:14.000 the crew to stuff dirty laundry inside. 00:11:15.000 --> 00:11:18.001 White said decommission was a hit at a recent ARIS meeting. 00:11:19.000 --> 00:11:24.000 The original Suitsets were de-orbited to burn up in Earth's atmosphere after 00:11:24.000 --> 00:11:25.001 their useful lives ended. 00:11:26.001 --> 00:11:32.000 ARRL is a partner in the ARIS program, which has kept amateur radio on the air 00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:35.000 from the International Space Station for 20 years. 00:11:35.001 --> 00:11:40.001 A hallmark of the ARIS program is the scheduled ham radio contacts made by 00:11:40.001 --> 00:11:45.000 astronaut crew members with schools and student groups around the world. 00:11:48.000 --> 00:11:52.000 Some of you might not be old enough to remember Suitset from the early 2000s, but 00:11:52.000 --> 00:11:56.001 it was a Russian spacesuit that was equipped with a radio 00:11:56.001 --> 00:11:58.001 transmitter to transmit on 2 meters. 00:11:58.001 --> 00:12:03.001 Anyway, Suitset makes an appearance in a new video short sci-fi thriller called 00:12:03.001 --> 00:12:10.000 Decommissioned, inspired by Troy Vence, the video short resurrects the 2006 00:12:10.000 --> 00:12:15.000 spacesuit satellite that transmitted messages on 2 meters as it circled Earth. 00:12:16.000 --> 00:12:19.001 The original Suitset 1 project, conceived by an amateur radio on the 00:12:19.001 --> 00:12:25.000 International Space Station team, repurposed a decommissioned Russian-Orland 00:12:25.000 --> 00:12:30.000 spacesuit to function as a free-floating amateur radio transmit-only 00:12:30.000 --> 00:12:32.001 satellite, transmitting a voice message. 00:12:33.000 --> 00:12:36.000 This is Suitset 1 RS-0RS. 00:12:36.001 --> 00:12:42.000 In the 6-minute film, Suitset returns in the future to haunt International Space 00:12:42.000 --> 00:12:45.001 Station Commander Diaz, played by Joey Vieira. 00:12:46.001 --> 00:12:52.000 Diaz is seen taking photos from inside an observation dome on the ISS when he 00:12:52.000 --> 00:12:58.001 spies some distant space debris and radios Houston to express concern. 00:13:00.001 --> 00:13:03.000 Houston, you're not going to believe this. 00:13:03.001 --> 00:13:06.000 The picking of transmissions on the head were any other side 00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:07.001 identical to the Suitset experiment. 00:13:09.001 --> 00:13:11.001 In that debris, it's an Orland space [...] 00:13:12.000 --> 00:13:13.001 I'm not sure I'm hearing you right. 00:13:14.001 --> 00:13:15.000 Repeat that, Commander. 00:13:16.000 --> 00:13:16.000 Suitset. 00:13:17.000 --> 00:13:17.001 I'm seeing Suitset. 00:13:19.000 --> 00:13:20.000 You're mistaken, Diaz. 00:13:20.001 --> 00:13:26.000 Decommissioned was produced by Perception Pictures and directed by Australian 00:13:26.000 --> 00:13:27.001 filmmaker Josh Tanner. 00:13:27.001 --> 00:13:34.000 You can get a link to the video on our website, www.arrl.org. 00:13:35.000 --> 00:13:40.000 Look for the story, Ham Radio's Suitset returns in short horror film. 00:13:40.001 --> 00:13:46.000 The QSO Today virtual ham expo on March 13th and 14th will devote a speaker track 00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:49.000 to AMSAT and the world of amateur radio satellites. 00:13:50.000 --> 00:13:54.000 For more details on the lineup of presenters at the ham expo, we go to Rick 00:13:54.000 --> 00:13:59.000 Lindquist, WW1ME, who files this report from League Headquarters. 00:14:00.000 --> 00:14:05.000 The expo is in full planning mode and promises many exciting new things for the 00:14:05.000 --> 00:14:10.000 upcoming event, which will include a world-class lineup of more than 60 speakers 00:14:10.000 --> 00:14:13.001 and workshops for beginners to experts. 00:14:14.001 --> 00:14:19.000 Presenters at nine AMSAT sessions will discuss the broad spectrum of ham radio 00:14:19.000 --> 00:14:24.000 satellites, including introduction to amateur radio satellites, getting on the 00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:28.000 air with satellites, how to enjoy amateur radio contacts with the International 00:14:28.000 --> 00:14:32.001 Space Station, and debris mitigation in Earth's orbit. 00:14:33.000 --> 00:14:38.001 Michelle Thompson, W5NYV, an AMSAT board member, said working with satellites is 00:14:38.001 --> 00:14:41.001 one of the most rewarding privileges of holding a ham ticket. 00:14:42.001 --> 00:14:46.001 There has never been a better time to be involved in amateur radio satellites, 00:14:46.001 --> 00:14:52.000 she said, since some long-standing regulatory burdens have been lifted and 00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:57.001 advanced technology has never been more affordable and accessible. 00:14:59.001 --> 00:15:02.001 We have opportunities now that weren't available even a few years ago. 00:15:03.000 --> 00:15:07.001 AMSAT is fortunate to contribute to the expo by showcasing the truly amazing work 00:15:07.001 --> 00:15:12.000 going on around the world in amateur radio satellites, and the expo is the ideal 00:15:12.000 --> 00:15:14.001 partner to show it off to the wider ham audience. 00:15:15.001 --> 00:15:19.001 AMSAT will have a booth at the expo where attendees can talk to experts, 00:15:20.000 --> 00:15:24.000 enthusiasts, operators and technicians, and obtain contact and membership 00:15:24.000 --> 00:15:28.000 information for the 30 AMSAT societies around the world. 00:15:28.001 --> 00:15:31.001 Early bird tickets are $10 to help cover the cost of the event 00:15:31.001 --> 00:15:33.000 and $12.50 at the door. 00:15:33.001 --> 00:15:38.000 That includes entry to the live two-day event as well as access during the 30-day 00:15:38.000 --> 00:15:40.000 on-demand period following the event. 00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:44.000 Register on the QSO Today virtual ham expo website. 00:15:45.000 --> 00:15:50.000 The Orlando Hamcation has announced it will sponsor the Hamcation QSO party over 00:15:50.000 --> 00:15:55.000 the February 13th and 14th weekend UTC to create a fun way for amateurs to 00:15:55.000 --> 00:15:58.000 celebrate the Orlando Hamcation experience over the air. 00:15:59.000 --> 00:16:03.000 Hamcation QSO party will be a 12-hour event on Hamcation weekend. 00:16:03.001 --> 00:16:08.001 Hamcation 2021 was to host the ADRL National Convention which will now 00:16:08.001 --> 00:16:10.000 take place in 2022. 00:16:10.001 --> 00:16:15.000 The QSO party will replicate the camaraderie and social experience of attending 00:16:15.000 --> 00:16:20.001 Hamcation and provide a way to have fun on the radio since Hamcation 2021 will 00:16:20.001 --> 00:16:25.000 not be held due to COVID-19, the Hamcation QSL party committee said. 00:16:25.000 --> 00:16:31.001 The Hamcation QSO party will run from 1500 UTC on February 13th until 00:16:31.001 --> 00:16:35.000 0300 UTC on February 14th. 00:16:35.000 --> 00:16:39.001 It will be a CWN single sideband operating event on 80, 40, 00:16:40.000 --> 00:16:42.000 20, 15 and 10 meters. 00:16:43.000 --> 00:16:45.000 Any station may work any other station. 00:16:46.000 --> 00:16:50.001 Categories will be high power, more than 100 watts output, low power, 100 watts 00:16:50.001 --> 00:16:55.001 output or less, but greater than 5 watts and QRP 5 watts output or less. 00:16:57.000 --> 00:16:59.000 All participants will be single operators. 00:16:59.001 --> 00:17:01.000 There is no multi-operator category. 00:17:01.001 --> 00:17:05.001 The exchange will be your name, state, province, country and the 00:17:05.001 --> 00:17:07.000 outside temperature at your location. 00:17:08.000 --> 00:17:12.001 We are including temperature at your QTH as a way to highlighting Orlando's 00:17:12.001 --> 00:17:14.000 mid-February weather, the committee said. 00:17:14.001 --> 00:17:19.001 Nine Hamcation special event stations with one by one call signs will be on the 00:17:19.001 --> 00:17:22.000 air with combined suffix spelling out Hamcation. 00:17:23.000 --> 00:17:26.001 Each contact will count as one point and stations may be worked 00:17:26.001 --> 00:17:28.000 once on each band and mode. 00:17:29.000 --> 00:17:33.001 Entrance will report their scores on the www. 3830scores.com. 00:17:34.000 --> 00:17:35.000 No logs are required. 00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:39.000 Final results will be based on the information submitted to the website. 00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:42.000 Station guest operators must use their own calls 00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:44.000 and submit their scores individually. 00:17:45.000 --> 00:17:47.000 Plaques and certificates will be awarded. 00:17:47.000 --> 00:17:53.000 Meanwhile, the Orlando Hamcation special edition online event over February 13th 00:17:53.000 --> 00:17:57.000 and 14th weekend will take place at what would have been Hamcation 2021 00:17:57.000 --> 00:17:58.001 in-person show. 00:17:59.000 --> 00:18:01.001 The online event will include youth technology 00:18:01.001 --> 00:18:03.001 contesting and vendor webinar tracks. 00:18:04.001 --> 00:18:09.000 The A.R.L. will also prevent two webinars on Saturday, February 13th. 00:18:09.000 --> 00:18:16.000 They are the A.R.L. Member Forum at 1 p. m. EST, moderated by A.R.L. SE 00:18:16.000 --> 00:18:21.001 division director Mickey Baker, N4MB, amateur radio emergency service 00:18:21.001 --> 00:18:28.000 presentation at 3 p.m. EST, moderated by A. R.L. director of emergency management 00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:30.001 Paul Gilbert, KE5ZW. 00:18:31.000 --> 00:18:34.000 The Aries presentation will include panelists from the A.R.L. section 00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:36.000 emergency coordinators in Florida. 00:18:36.001 --> 00:18:39.001 Live online prize drawings are also scheduled during the Hamcation 00:18:39.001 --> 00:18:41.001 special edition online event. 00:18:41.001 --> 00:18:46.001 You are listening to This Week in Amateur Radio, available as a podcast at our 00:18:46.001 --> 00:18:53.000 website, www.twir. net, and streamed worldwide via 00:18:53.000 --> 00:18:55.000 Spotify and iHeartMedia. 00:19:15.001 --> 00:19:20.000 The Over the Horizon Radars reports that Over the Horizon Radars have 00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:24.000 increasingly been finding spectrum on 17 and 15 meters. 00:19:24.001 --> 00:19:29.000 Above all, the Russian Over the Horizon Radar, known as Container, as well as 00:19:29.000 --> 00:19:33.001 Over the Horizon Radars from China, continue to affect amateur radio more and 00:19:33.001 --> 00:19:38.000 more, sometimes quite massively, said Over the Horizon Radars newsletter editor 00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:45.000 Peter Jost, HB9 CET in the December edition, with three or four such signals 00:19:45.000 --> 00:19:46.001 showing in the same band. 00:19:47.000 --> 00:19:51.001 Significantly fewer FSK transmissions, as well as the characteristic CIS-12 00:19:51.001 --> 00:19:55.000 signals from the Commonwealth of Independent States, were to be found. 00:19:55.000 --> 00:20:02.000 For some time now, a broadcast station is active every day at 1100-1258 UTC 00:20:02.000 --> 00:20:08.000 at 7200 kHz, just said, adding that the signal appears to be coming from Taiwan. 00:20:08.001 --> 00:20:13.001 The broadcast station, voice of broad masses from Eritrea, can be heard daily on 00:20:13.001 --> 00:20:19.000 7140 kHz and increasingly also on 7180 kHz, he added. 00:20:19.000 --> 00:20:23.001 Occasionally, better conditions during November 2020 revealed phishing voice 00:20:23.001 --> 00:20:27.000 signals and an Iranian Over the Horizon Radars on 10 meters. 00:20:28.000 --> 00:20:32.001 The Chinese Over the Horizon Radar, nicknamed FOGHORN, was and is a daily 00:20:32.001 --> 00:20:35.000 troublemaker, Jost reported, back in November. 00:20:35.001 --> 00:20:40.000 Amateur radio on the International Space Station, or ARIS, and its partners are 00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:45.001 troubleshooting a failure with the onboard NA-1SS amateur station in the 00:20:45.001 --> 00:20:47.000 ISS Columbus module. 00:20:47.000 --> 00:20:52.000 The problem does not appear to be with the radio equipment in Columbus. 00:20:52.001 --> 00:20:56.001 However, ARIS realized the problem when a contact with a school in Wyoming 00:20:56.001 --> 00:21:03.000 between ON-4 ISS on Earth and astronaut Mike Hopkins, KF-5LJG, 00:21:03.001 --> 00:21:08.000 at NA-1SS had to abort when no downlink signal was heard. 00:21:09.000 --> 00:21:11.000 Today was a tough one for ARIS. 00:21:11.000 --> 00:21:17.000 ARIS International Chair Frank Bauer, KA3HTO, began in a message on January 00:21:17.000 --> 00:21:19.000 28 to the ARIS team. 00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:25.001 Bauer explained that during a January 27 spacewalk to install exterior cabling on 00:21:25.001 --> 00:21:31.000 the ISS Columbus module, the current COACS feedline installed 11 years ago was 00:21:31.000 --> 00:21:35.001 replaced with another built by a European space agency and Airbus. 00:21:35.001 --> 00:21:40.001 It included two additional RF connectors to support the commissioning of the 00:21:40.001 --> 00:21:45.001 Bartolomeo payload hosting platform installed last spring on Columbus. 00:21:46.001 --> 00:21:52.000 On January 26, prior to the extravehicular activity, our Columbus Next Generation 00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:57.000 radio system was shut off and the ISS International coaxial cable to the antenna 00:21:57.000 --> 00:22:01.001 was disconnected from the ARIS radio as a safety precaution for 00:22:01.001 --> 00:22:03.000 the EVA, Bauer said. 00:22:03.000 --> 00:22:08.001 During the spacewalk, an external four-connector COACS feedline replaced one 00:22:08.001 --> 00:22:10.001 with two RF connectors. 00:22:11.000 --> 00:22:15.001 The change was made to allow the European space agency to connect ARIS and three 00:22:15.001 --> 00:22:21.000 additional customers to Bartolomeo as compared to ARIS and one additional 00:22:21.000 --> 00:22:23.000 RF customer, Bauer explained. 00:22:23.001 --> 00:22:29.000 With the spacewalk completed, the ISS crew restarted the ISS ham radio station on 00:22:29.000 --> 00:22:33.001 January 28, but no voice repeater or automatic packet repeater system 00:22:33.001 --> 00:22:35.001 downlink reports were heard. 00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:42.000 During a scheduled school contact at 1746 UTC, no downlink single was heard 00:22:42.000 --> 00:22:45.001 either, and attempted contact had to be terminated. 00:22:46.000 --> 00:22:49.001 Clearly, there is an issue, Bauer continued. More 00:22:49.001 --> 00:22:51.000 troubleshooting will be required. 00:22:51.001 --> 00:22:56.001 It may be the new external RF cable that was installed during yesterday's EVA. 00:22:56.001 --> 00:23:00.001 It might also have been caused by the connect and disconnect of the 00:23:00.001 --> 00:23:02.001 interior coaxial RF cable. 00:23:03.001 --> 00:23:06.001 So the interior cable cannot be totally discounted just yet. 00:23:07.001 --> 00:23:11.001 Bauer said the crew photographed the coaxial cable and connector attached to the 00:23:11.001 --> 00:23:13.000 ARIS radio inside the ISS. 00:23:13.001 --> 00:23:19.000 Because the exterior cable is a Bartolomeo cable and not an ARIS cable, we are 00:23:19.000 --> 00:23:23.000 working with ESA and NASA on a way forward, he said. 00:23:23.000 --> 00:23:27.001 NASA has opened a payload anomaly report on the issue. 00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:32.000 We have talked to both the NASA and European Space Agency representatives. 00:23:32.001 --> 00:23:39.000 Bauer said ARIS has asked the Russian team leader, Sergei Zamburov, RV3DR if ARIS 00:23:39.000 --> 00:23:45.000 could temporarily use the RS-0 ISS radio in the ISS service module for school 00:23:45.000 --> 00:23:49.000 contacts that are already scheduled until ARIS can resolve the issue. 00:23:49.000 --> 00:23:54.000 On behalf of the ARIS International Board, the ARIS delegates and the entire 00:23:54.000 --> 00:23:57.001 team, I want to thank all of you for your tremendous volunteer 00:23:57.001 --> 00:23:59.001 support to ARIS, Bauer said. 00:24:00.000 --> 00:24:03.001 We will get through this and be more resilient as a result. 00:24:04.000 --> 00:24:08.001 We have reported where the Dayton Hamvention and the Orlando Hamcation have 00:24:08.001 --> 00:24:10.001 canceled in-person events again this year. 00:24:11.001 --> 00:24:16.000 It appears that not all organizers of amateur radio events are looking to cancel 00:24:16.000 --> 00:24:17.001 their plans for 2021. 00:24:18.001 --> 00:24:23.001 Mark your calendars for now because a pandemic safety and hygiene plan has been 00:24:23.001 --> 00:24:28.001 drawn up to enable ham radio Friedrichshafen to take place between June 25 and 00:24:28.001 --> 00:24:30.000 27 in Germany. 00:24:30.001 --> 00:24:35.001 Details have been released by organizers and the DARC who are hoping to avoid the 00:24:35.001 --> 00:24:39.001 second cancellation of the largest amateur radio convention in Europe. 00:24:39.001 --> 00:24:44.001 The safety procedures are outlined on the event website and give details about 00:24:44.001 --> 00:24:49.001 mask and disinfectant use as well as cleaning, distancing and contact tracing 00:24:49.001 --> 00:24:51.000 that will be taking place. 00:24:52.000 --> 00:24:57.000 The procedures also outline other ways to avoid contact which include the absence 00:24:57.000 --> 00:25:01.000 of greeting rituals and cashless payment for anything purchased. 00:25:01.001 --> 00:25:04.000 More details will be released later this spring. 00:25:05.001 --> 00:25:09.000 Youth on the Air month of success in the Americas and around the world. 00:25:09.000 --> 00:25:12.001 December was Youth on the Air month 2020 and 00:25:12.001 --> 00:25:14.000 it was a great success in the Americas. 00:25:15.000 --> 00:25:19.000 For more details on this year's Youth on the Month we go to Rick Lindquist, 00:25:19.001 --> 00:25:22.000 WW1ME at League Headquarters. 00:25:22.001 --> 00:25:28.000 Youth operated amateur radio stations operating under the Youth on the Air or 00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:33.001 Yoda banner in the western hemisphere contributed more than 14,600 contacts to 00:25:33.001 --> 00:25:38.000 the annual worldwide event which celebrates youth in amateur radio. 00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:44.001 Two dozen operators under the age of 26 used special event call signs to promote 00:25:44.001 --> 00:25:50.000 youth in amateur radio in the Americas for one by one special event call signs 00:25:50.000 --> 00:25:56.001 K8Y, K8O, K8T and K8A were on the air rotating 00:25:56.001 --> 00:25:58.001 among participating operators. 00:25:59.000 --> 00:26:05.000 This marks a more than 11% increase in the contact count from last year's total 00:26:05.000 --> 00:26:07.000 of nearly 12,500. 00:26:07.000 --> 00:26:12.001 Pennsylvania teenager Michael Lippert, W3MLJ said his favorite part of Yoda Month 00:26:12.001 --> 00:26:16.001 was running five radios at once all on digital modes. 00:26:17.000 --> 00:26:22.000 Fifth grader Kalen Rizmiller, K8MTJ said he got a kick out of logging 00:26:22.000 --> 00:26:27.000 ZR1ADI in South Africa on 20 meter FT8. 00:26:27.000 --> 00:26:34.000 Globally more than 137,000 Yoda Month contacts were logged under the 00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:37.001 46 call signs that HAMS younger than 26 put on the air. 00:26:38.000 --> 00:26:43.001 That surpassed last year's record number of 129,029. 00:26:44.000 --> 00:26:49.000 The US placed second behind Croatia in the total number of 00:26:49.000 --> 00:26:51.001 contacts made during the event. 00:26:51.001 --> 00:26:56.000 Using lessons from Youth on the Air Month 2019 make organizing more streamlined 00:26:56.000 --> 00:27:02.000 and flexible for our operators this year said Bryant Roskal, KG5HVO, who 00:27:02.000 --> 00:27:05.000 coordinated the events of the 24 operators and their logs. 00:27:06.000 --> 00:27:09.001 As part of their responsibilities, they also managed logbook of the world 00:27:09.001 --> 00:27:15.001 accounts for US stations, the qrz. com profiles for all the call signs, maintained 00:27:15.001 --> 00:27:20.000 an operator schedule, worked with Youth on the Air Month manager Atomi Varro, 00:27:20.001 --> 00:27:25.000 HA8RT, and reported to the Youth on the Air Camp Committee in the Americas. 00:27:26.001 --> 00:27:30.000 December Youth on the Air Month served as a prelude to the first ever Youth AM 00:27:30.000 --> 00:27:32.000 Camp hosted in the Western Hemisphere. 00:27:33.000 --> 00:27:36.001 The event was tentatively scheduled for July 11th through the 16th of 2021. 00:27:38.000 --> 00:27:42.000 More than 2,100 operators of all ages received awards based on the number of 00:27:42.000 --> 00:27:44.000 Youth on the Air contacts made. 00:27:45.000 --> 00:27:49.000 Unclaimed awards can be downloaded. Additional statistics are also available. 00:27:49.001 --> 00:27:55.000 All Youth on the Air Month QSL cards should be requested via OQRS on the club log 00:27:55.000 --> 00:27:57.000 website where registration is required. 00:27:58.000 --> 00:28:01.000 More information about Youth on the Air in the Americas can be found 00:28:01.000 --> 00:28:02.001 on the Youth on the Air website. 00:28:03.001 --> 00:28:08.000 Originating from Albany, New York and distributed worldwide, you are listening to 00:28:08.000 --> 00:28:10.000 This Week in Amateur Radio. 00:28:39.001 --> 00:28:46.001 I'm here to counsel you. I'm the Dr. Laura of computing. I'm here to make 00:28:46.001 --> 00:28:50.001 you feel better about your pathetic hardware. 00:28:51.000 --> 00:28:55.000 No, I'm here to tell you that your hardware is not your enemy. It's your friend, 00:28:55.001 --> 00:28:58.001 even though it's mean and nasty and breaks all the time. 00:28:59.000 --> 00:29:04.000 I'm here to help you find new hardware. I'm here to spend your money. I'm here to 00:29:04.000 --> 00:29:06.001 save you money. I'm here to do it all. 00:29:07.000 --> 00:29:11.001 Our new forums. Forums are back, baby. Do you remember forums? 00:29:13.000 --> 00:29:15.000 It's funny, some of the people in the forum are saying this is kind of like the 00:29:15.000 --> 00:29:17.001 old days of BBSs. You remember those? You probably know. 00:29:17.001 --> 00:29:24.000 You have to be of a certain age to remember dialing in with your phone line. 00:29:27.000 --> 00:29:34.000 And you'd get online. I'm old enough I remember actually picking up the handset 00:29:34.000 --> 00:29:37.001 on my Western electric phone and jamming it into rubber cups. 00:29:38.001 --> 00:29:42.001 That was the modem. And then, you know, Mom would pick up the other end of the 00:29:42.001 --> 00:29:47.000 extension and go, Mom, get off the line. I'm on the I'm on the Internet. Well, we 00:29:47.000 --> 00:29:51.000 didn't call it. Do we? I'm on the BBS BBS. 00:29:51.001 --> 00:29:57.000 The bulletin board system. So but they're back in a way. And I think some of this 00:29:57.000 --> 00:29:59.000 is because we all abandoned. 00:29:59.000 --> 00:30:04.000 Didn't we? We all abandoned all of the stuff, the good stuff that we had started 00:30:04.000 --> 00:30:10.000 in the I started BBS in the 80s, but in the 90s and later where the Internet came 00:30:10.000 --> 00:30:14.001 along and all of a sudden Twitter and Facebook and read it and took over from 00:30:14.001 --> 00:30:20.001 these things, these centralized forums and mini blogs that 00:30:20.001 --> 00:30:22.000 became, you know, where you hung out. 00:30:22.000 --> 00:30:26.001 But I think there's a little backlash, isn't there now to to these big guys 00:30:26.001 --> 00:30:29.000 because they're kind of I don't know. 00:30:29.000 --> 00:30:33.001 It's like it's like saying I'd like to talk to my friends in the middle of Grand 00:30:33.001 --> 00:30:39.000 Central Station, please. It's just they're busy. There's a lot going on. 00:30:39.001 --> 00:30:44.001 So we started a forum last week. It's done very well. It's like the old days of 00:30:44.001 --> 00:30:48.001 forums or BBS is where you go, you create an account and you say hi to people. 00:30:48.001 --> 00:30:52.000 And it's not a lot of people. It's maybe a thousand other people. And it's kind 00:30:52.000 --> 00:30:55.001 of people, you know, you get to know over time and chat with them and you can 00:30:55.001 --> 00:30:58.001 post pictures and you do the same stuff you would do on Facebook or 00:30:58.001 --> 00:31:00.000 Reddit or even Twitter. 00:31:00.000 --> 00:31:03.001 But it's but it's a little more. It's a small community instead of Grand Central 00:31:03.001 --> 00:31:07.001 Station. It's Petticoat Junction. It's a little a little place 00:31:07.001 --> 00:31:09.001 where you where you can hang out. 00:31:10.001 --> 00:31:16.000 The address for that is community tech labs dot com. Alphabet is grounding. 00:31:16.000 --> 00:31:22.001 You know, when you name a project Loon because it's kind of 00:31:22.001 --> 00:31:28.001 crazy, you shouldn't be too surprised if it doesn't go anywhere. 00:31:28.001 --> 00:31:35.001 It was what Google and then later Alphabet calls a moon shot, a long bet, a 00:31:35.001 --> 00:31:39.000 crazy idea that probably won't go anywhere. 00:31:39.000 --> 00:31:42.001 But hey, we're going to do it anyway because we have so much money 00:31:42.001 --> 00:31:44.001 that we can do things like this. 00:31:44.001 --> 00:31:51.000 What was Loon? Well, the idea was to give the entire world Internet via 00:31:51.000 --> 00:31:57.001 balloons, big old balloons circling the globe that would 00:31:57.001 --> 00:32:01.001 kind of I guess they'd have a ground station beaming up to the 00:32:01.001 --> 00:32:03.000 balloon and then back down to you. 00:32:04.000 --> 00:32:09.000 They launched it, you know, a long time ago, 2013, the balloons were not just, 00:32:09.000 --> 00:32:12.001 you know, party balloons. They were really kind of, you know, fancy weather 00:32:12.001 --> 00:32:15.000 balloons that went way up into the stratosphere and stuff. 00:32:15.001 --> 00:32:19.001 They actually got to the point where they would be up there for months, years, 00:32:20.001 --> 00:32:22.001 kind of hard to control where a balloon goes. 00:32:23.000 --> 00:32:28.001 But I guess the idea is if we launch enough of them, I don't know. They use it in 00:32:28.001 --> 00:32:30.001 Peru after a big earthquake there. 00:32:30.001 --> 00:32:34.000 Remember after the Hurricane Maria, they used it in Puerto 00:32:34.000 --> 00:32:35.001 Rico to give them Internet access. 00:32:36.001 --> 00:32:42.001 They were actually doing it last year in Kenya. But now they've decided to ground 00:32:42.001 --> 00:32:45.001 Loon, to pop the balloon, if you will. 00:32:46.000 --> 00:32:52.000 The guy who heads these projects, he's part of the Google X project, 00:32:53.000 --> 00:32:58.001 their moon shot factory, they call it, has a very appropriate name, Astro Teller. 00:33:01.000 --> 00:33:04.001 He actually said, you know what, time to pop the balloon. We probably should 00:33:04.001 --> 00:33:06.000 just stop. 00:33:07.000 --> 00:33:10.000 But, you know, to be fair, he said when I heard about it the first time, I only 00:33:10.000 --> 00:33:12.000 gave about a one or two percent chance of succeeding. 00:33:13.000 --> 00:33:18.000 So, you know, you know, it was a moon shot. It was a long, long bet. 00:33:18.001 --> 00:33:23.000 Part of the problem is, you know, when they started doing this, the Internet only 00:33:23.000 --> 00:33:25.000 reached about three quarters of the Earth. 00:33:25.000 --> 00:33:28.001 And so there was a lot of other people that could be served. 00:33:29.001 --> 00:33:33.001 Problem they found, got to 93 percent. But the problem they found is that the 00:33:33.001 --> 00:33:38.000 remaining seven percent either couldn't afford the technology to get the signals, 00:33:38.001 --> 00:33:42.000 like the fancy phones, or didn't even want the Internet. 00:33:43.000 --> 00:33:48.000 We don't need that. Yes, believe it or not. In fact, I find this extremely 00:33:48.000 --> 00:33:51.000 encouraging. About seven percent of the planet doesn't really care. 00:33:51.000 --> 00:33:57.001 So and that plus the fact that Elon Musk is launching 12000 satellites to do the 00:33:57.001 --> 00:34:00.000 same thing and they'll be a little bit more robust. 00:34:01.000 --> 00:34:05.001 Jeff Bezos is Blue Origin wants to do something similar. So there's other people 00:34:05.001 --> 00:34:11.001 kind of handling this cool technology giant balloons called the 00:34:11.001 --> 00:34:13.000 Loon aptly named. 00:34:13.001 --> 00:34:15.000 But it's it's over. 00:34:16.001 --> 00:34:19.001 Google actually is in the news, too, because of Australia. 00:34:20.000 --> 00:34:22.000 There there's a bill it's not yet been voted on in the 00:34:22.000 --> 00:34:24.000 Australian. What do they call it? 00:34:24.000 --> 00:34:29.000 Parliament. I don't know the Australian legislative body that would charge Google 00:34:29.000 --> 00:34:31.000 and Facebook for the. 00:34:31.000 --> 00:34:35.000 You know, when you search for a news story or you look at a news, you know, 00:34:35.000 --> 00:34:39.000 Google News or whatever, you get a little one or two lines from the article that 00:34:39.000 --> 00:34:41.001 they're referring to and then a link and you can read the rest. 00:34:42.000 --> 00:34:46.000 Seems to me a good thing for the publishers, you know, that you get 00:34:46.000 --> 00:34:47.001 a taste of flavor of the article. 00:34:48.001 --> 00:34:52.000 The publishers say, no, you can't do that in Australia. They want money for it. 00:34:52.001 --> 00:34:54.001 Rupert Murdoch leading the charge for this. 00:34:55.000 --> 00:34:58.001 If you're going to put snippets from our articles, you got to pay us Google and 00:34:58.001 --> 00:35:01.001 Facebook. Now, it's not been voted in yet. 00:35:01.001 --> 00:35:07.001 It's a proposed legislation, proposed law. Mel Silva, who's Google's managing 00:35:07.001 --> 00:35:11.000 director in Australia, testified in front of a Senate. 00:35:11.000 --> 00:35:15.000 Oh, they call it the Senate. There you go. Committee that the proposed code was 00:35:15.000 --> 00:35:17.001 untenable, would set a dangerous precedent. 00:35:18.000 --> 00:35:22.001 And finally, she said, if you were to pass this law, it would give us no real 00:35:22.001 --> 00:35:26.000 choice but to stop making Google search available in Australia. 00:35:27.000 --> 00:35:32.001 Wow. That's like that's the nuclear option. Yeah, fine. Go ahead. Do that. You 00:35:32.001 --> 00:35:34.001 won't have us to kick around anymore. 00:35:34.001 --> 00:35:41.000 I saw some people say, yeah, fine. Good. Let's make Google less 00:35:41.000 --> 00:35:43.000 powerful, less of a monolith, less dominant. 00:35:43.001 --> 00:35:47.001 I mean, it is really true. You know, in the U. S., I don't know. I think Google's 00:35:47.001 --> 00:35:52.001 only about 75% of all searches, but it's closer to 90% in much of the world. 00:35:53.000 --> 00:35:55.001 It's that's a monopoly. And if something isn't on 00:35:55.001 --> 00:35:58.000 Google, it's almost like it's not on the Internet. 00:35:58.000 --> 00:36:03.000 That's how you find it if it's not in Google. Now, I know there are other 00:36:03.000 --> 00:36:04.001 choices. There are lots of other choices. 00:36:04.001 --> 00:36:08.000 And that's why some people say, well, this is a good thing. Force people in 00:36:08.000 --> 00:36:14.000 Australia to use other things like Google's, like Microsoft Bing or Duck Duck Go 00:36:14.000 --> 00:36:15.001 or Start Page. 00:36:16.000 --> 00:36:22.000 Yeah, there are other choices. Apple just added a new search engine option on the 00:36:22.000 --> 00:36:23.001 iPhone called Ecosia. 00:36:23.001 --> 00:36:30.000 It's a search engine that plants trees. Yeah, I'm not kidding. Eco. They're based 00:36:30.000 --> 00:36:36.000 in Berlin. They donate 80% of their profits to organizations that focus on 00:36:36.000 --> 00:36:39.001 reforesting and planting trees. Ecosia. 00:36:40.000 --> 00:36:45.000 The problem with Bing, Duck Duck Go, Ecosia and the others is their results. The 00:36:45.000 --> 00:36:48.001 search, you know, that's why Google's so popular is because when you search for 00:36:48.001 --> 00:36:51.001 something on Google, you pretty much get what you want. Right? 00:36:51.001 --> 00:36:56.001 The results are useful. That's why Google completely dominated the search 00:36:56.001 --> 00:36:59.001 industry when, you know, 15 years ago, it beat out to Vista. 00:37:00.000 --> 00:37:04.001 And there were a ton of other search engines now long forgotten. There was one 00:37:04.001 --> 00:37:10.000 began with an L, Lycos. Remember that? No, no one does because Google came 00:37:10.000 --> 00:37:12.000 along and what was it? 00:37:12.001 --> 00:37:16.000 You know, I mean, that's the truth. Somebody has a monopoly. It's because people 00:37:16.000 --> 00:37:19.000 want what they got. And Google's free and it does a good job. 00:37:19.001 --> 00:37:23.001 But, you know, so we'll see. I mean, if you were in Australia, if maybe you are 00:37:23.001 --> 00:37:27.001 an Australian and you lost Google, I guess you just say, well, that's, you know, 00:37:27.001 --> 00:37:31.000 not ideal, but we'll use Duck Duck Go or Ecosia. 00:37:31.000 --> 00:37:35.001 Yes, you know, I mean, it's it'll be we'll watch with interest. How about 00:37:35.001 --> 00:37:37.001 that? I will be watching with interest. 00:37:39.000 --> 00:37:40.001 Let's see. What else can we talk about? 00:37:40.001 --> 00:37:46.000 I mean, we get a lot of calls. We did actually last year towards the end of the 00:37:46.000 --> 00:37:50.000 year because people had seen that Adobe Flash was going away. 00:37:51.000 --> 00:37:54.000 You know, that's the technology that gave you dancing monkeys on the Internet for 00:37:54.000 --> 00:37:58.001 so many years. In fact, when when YouTube first started out, the 00:37:58.001 --> 00:38:00.000 videos on YouTube were in Flash. 00:38:00.001 --> 00:38:06.001 But Adobe kind of ran into some headwinds with Flash. For one thing, it was kind 00:38:06.001 --> 00:38:10.001 of notoriously insecure. People had all sorts of security issues with it. 00:38:11.000 --> 00:38:16.000 But for another thing, Apple, Steve Jobs, who kind of had an axe to grind with 00:38:16.000 --> 00:38:20.001 Adobe for other reasons, published a open letter on the front page of Apple.com 00:38:20.001 --> 00:38:25.001 way back in 2010 saying we're not going to support Flash on our iPhones or on our 00:38:25.001 --> 00:38:27.000 iPads because we don't like it. 00:38:27.000 --> 00:38:30.001 It's it's a pig. It's slow. That was 10 years ago. Took 00:38:30.001 --> 00:38:32.000 10 years to finally kill Flash. 00:38:32.001 --> 00:38:39.000 December 31st, Flash went away. Adobe stopped using it. And we got a lot of calls 00:38:39.000 --> 00:38:41.000 from people saying, what am I going to do? What my website is 00:38:41.000 --> 00:38:42.001 going to work and my game. 00:38:43.000 --> 00:38:46.001 And I think by now, probably it's only the oldest site sites that haven't been 00:38:46.001 --> 00:38:48.001 updated in years that are still using Flash. 00:38:49.000 --> 00:38:53.000 And frankly, those probably won't ever be updated. They're abandonware. But most 00:38:53.000 --> 00:38:55.001 sites, I mean, YouTube stopped using Flash years ago. 00:38:56.000 --> 00:39:02.000 Funny story, though, there's a railway system in northern China, Dalian, that was 00:39:02.000 --> 00:39:05.000 running on Flash, the whole railway system. 00:39:06.001 --> 00:39:10.000 They've known. We've known since 2017 that Flash was going away. But apparently 00:39:10.000 --> 00:39:14.000 whoever is running this railway system, the China railway Shenyang 00:39:14.000 --> 00:39:16.000 wasn't paying attention. 00:39:16.001 --> 00:39:20.001 By the way, Flash is a programming language. I guess you could do things like run 00:39:20.001 --> 00:39:23.001 a railway on it. I wouldn't want to, but you could. 00:39:24.000 --> 00:39:31.000 So for 20 hours, the railroads in Dalian and Liaoning Province in 00:39:31.000 --> 00:39:34.001 northern China weren't running. 00:39:35.001 --> 00:39:41.000 Staffers couldn't view train operating diagrams. They couldn't set up scheduling. 00:39:41.000 --> 00:39:44.000 They couldn't arrange shutting. Basically, everything stopped. 00:39:44.001 --> 00:39:48.001 How did they fix it? They got a pirated version of Flash and they installed it at 00:39:48.001 --> 00:39:51.000 4.30 in the morning. Everything started working again. 00:39:54.001 --> 00:39:59.001 That's probably the most extreme example of we're not giving up Flash ever. 00:40:01.000 --> 00:40:05.001 They're running a pirated version of Flash. 00:40:06.000 --> 00:40:10.001 Oh, my. Anyway, I'm glad you were here and I'm here and I'll be here next week 00:40:10.001 --> 00:40:14.000 and I hope you'll come by and bring your friends too as we talk high tech. 00:40:14.000 --> 00:40:16.001 Lia'll report the tech guide. 00:40:17.000 --> 00:40:21.001 Are you ready for another trip into amateur radio history? I'm Bill Cantonelli, 00:40:22.000 --> 00:40:28.001 W2XOY, and I'll be back in a moment with another edition of the Ancient Amateur 00:40:28.001 --> 00:40:32.001 Archives here on This Week in Amateur Radio. 00:40:32.001 --> 00:40:37.001 Now celebrating our 22nd year keeping the amateur radio community informed, 00:40:38.000 --> 00:40:43.000 you're listening to This Week in Amateur Radio, available worldwide as a podcast 00:40:43.000 --> 00:40:48.001 from our web at www.twir.net. 00:41:09.000 --> 00:41:16.000 November 15, 1945. The day that amateurs had waited for ever since 00:41:16.000 --> 00:41:22.000 December 7, 1941. Finally, after three years and eleven months of wartime radio 00:41:22.000 --> 00:41:25.000 silence, amateurs were allowed back on the air. 00:41:25.000 --> 00:41:30.001 Granted, we didn't have everything back yet. The initial authorization allowed 00:41:30.001 --> 00:41:37.000 amateur operations on 10 meters from 28 through 29.7 megacycles, 5 meters from 00:41:37.000 --> 00:41:43.001 56 to 60 megacycles, and the new 2 meter band at 144 through 148 megacycles. 00:41:43.001 --> 00:41:49.000 And there were restrictions on these limited frequencies. Our old pre-war 5 meter 00:41:49.000 --> 00:41:54.001 allocation was temporary. The new post-war band was shifted to 6 meters from 50 00:41:54.001 --> 00:41:58.001 to 54 megacycles, but the actual transition would not take place until 00:41:58.001 --> 00:42:00.000 March 1, 1946. 00:42:00.000 --> 00:42:06.001 So, we were back on the 56 to 60 megacycle segment for only 3 and a half months. 00:42:07.001 --> 00:42:14.000 On the new 2 meter band, the frequencies from 146.5 through 148 megacycles were 00:42:14.000 --> 00:42:19.000 unavailable within a 50 mile radius of Washington DC and Seattle, Washington. 00:42:19.000 --> 00:42:25.000 The military was still using these frequencies, as well as our 160, 80, 40, and 00:42:25.000 --> 00:42:30.000 20 meter HF bands. The military also occupied our new UHF and microwave 00:42:30.000 --> 00:42:35.001 allocations. It would be months, maybe a year or more before the armed forces 00:42:35.001 --> 00:42:38.001 would fully vacate our bands and return them to us. 00:42:38.001 --> 00:42:45.000 But amateurs didn't care. Unlike 1919, when there was open hostility to us by the 00:42:45.000 --> 00:42:50.000 military and the threat of our elimination, the post-World War II armed forces, 00:42:50.001 --> 00:42:54.001 as well as the FCC, were fully aware of the tremendous assistance that amateurs 00:42:54.001 --> 00:42:57.000 had given throughout the war, and they were 00:42:57.000 --> 00:42:58.001 eager to give us back our frequencies. 00:42:58.001 --> 00:43:03.000 The A.R.L. was working closely with the FCC and the military to get our bands 00:43:03.000 --> 00:43:10.000 back. One band, however, was apparently not coming back. Our 160 meter band, 00:43:10.001 --> 00:43:15.001 the birthplace of our post-1912 operations, was fully occupied by the military 00:43:15.001 --> 00:43:18.001 with its new Loran radio navigation system. 00:43:18.001 --> 00:43:23.001 The armed services and the FCC made it clear that this segment was to remain for 00:43:23.001 --> 00:43:30.000 the use of Loran. Over the years, the FCC obtained small concessions, a 25 00:43:30.000 --> 00:43:35.001 kilocycle segment here and there, 25 watt power limitations, day and night 00:43:35.001 --> 00:43:41.001 restrictions, but from the 1940s right up until the early 1980s, our 160 meter 00:43:41.001 --> 00:43:47.001 band sounded like a huge, broad banded buzzsaw as Loran completely dominated it. 00:43:47.001 --> 00:43:52.000 But this was a minor blot on the landscape as amateurs rushed to get back on the 00:43:52.000 --> 00:43:58.000 air. 10 meters was the band they went to first, and the 28 through 29.7 megacycle 00:43:58.000 --> 00:44:00.001 range became crowded with those making up for lost time. 00:44:01.001 --> 00:44:06.001 Two meters was next. Hams modified their old 2. 5 meter equipment to operate on 00:44:06.001 --> 00:44:11.000 the new band, and soon the rushing sounds of the super-regenerative receiver were 00:44:11.000 --> 00:44:16.001 everywhere. The more adventurous were trying out something called FM. 5 meters 00:44:16.001 --> 00:44:22.001 was quiet. Since the band was available for only 105 days, many hams spent their 00:44:22.001 --> 00:44:29.001 time converting their rigs to the new 6 meter band. On March 1st 1946, our old 5 00:44:29.001 --> 00:44:34.001 meter band died, and the new 50 to 54 megacycle segment was born. 00:44:34.001 --> 00:44:40.001 Also on that date, to compensate the amateurs for the loss of 29.7 to 30 00:44:40.001 --> 00:44:46.001 megacycles, we were given an 11 meter band at 27 megacycles. That's right, the 00:44:46.001 --> 00:44:50.000 present day CB band was once an amateur allocation. 00:44:50.000 --> 00:44:57.000 By May 1946, we had our 80 and 75 meter allocations back. We also had a 00:44:57.000 --> 00:45:03.001 temporary allocation from 235 to 240 megacycles, which would soon be shifted down 00:45:03.001 --> 00:45:06.000 to 220 to 225 megacycles. 00:45:06.000 --> 00:45:13.000 On November 2nd 1946, the FCC finally released our 40 and 20 meter bands. 00:45:13.001 --> 00:45:20.000 By the end of 1946, we had our full HF spectrum back. 80 and 75 meters, 40 00:45:20.000 --> 00:45:25.000 meters, which was CW only, 20, 11 and 10 meters. 00:45:25.000 --> 00:45:31.001 Note that there was no 15 meter allocation then. Our 15 meter band did not appear 00:45:31.001 --> 00:45:37.000 until 1952. The military restrictions on our 2 meter band were lifted in June of 00:45:37.000 --> 00:45:43.000 1947, and except for 160 meters, the military was off of our bands. 00:45:43.000 --> 00:45:49.001 By 1947, every amateur band from 80 to 2 meters was full of stations, but there 00:45:49.001 --> 00:45:53.001 was trouble brewing. Amateurs weren't the only ones taken to the airwaves. 00:45:54.000 --> 00:45:58.001 Television was growing by leaps and bounds. In 1946, there were only 00:45:58.001 --> 00:46:00.000 7000 TV sets. 00:46:00.000 --> 00:46:07.000 In 1947, the number jumped to 180,000 and by 1948, there were 00:46:07.000 --> 00:46:12.001 over 1 million TVs in use. Amateurs who were used to harmonically related bands 00:46:12.001 --> 00:46:16.000 and an empty VHF spectrum were not prepared for the 00:46:16.000 --> 00:46:18.001 TVI their neighbors were experiencing. 00:46:18.001 --> 00:46:24.001 A typical unshielded amateur transmitter operating on 14, 28 or 50 megacycles 00:46:24.001 --> 00:46:29.001 could wipe out all the TVs in the neighborhood. QST ran a series of articles on 00:46:29.001 --> 00:46:33.001 proper shielding and filtering of stations, and HAMS gradually learned to 00:46:33.001 --> 00:46:35.001 eliminate harmonics from their transmitters. 00:46:35.001 --> 00:46:40.001 But there was one band where shielding and good design didn't seem to help. 6 00:46:40.001 --> 00:46:46.000 meters. Our 50 to 54 megacycle segment was sandwiched right between TV channel 1 00:46:46.000 --> 00:46:53.000 from 44 to 50 megacycles and TV channel 2 from 54 to 60. At that time, only 00:46:53.000 --> 00:46:55.001 channel 2 was actually being used for TV. 00:46:55.001 --> 00:47:01.000 The channel 1 range was still part of the old pre-war FM band from 42 to 50 00:47:01.000 --> 00:47:05.001 megacycles, which was being phased out in favor of the new 88 through 108 00:47:05.001 --> 00:47:10.001 megacycle allocation. We were causing interference to WCBS and other handful of 00:47:10.001 --> 00:47:14.000 stations on channel 2, and the problem would only get worse when 00:47:14.000 --> 00:47:15.001 channel 1 became available. 00:47:15.001 --> 00:47:21.000 Tests were run and an interesting solution was proposed. Because a television 00:47:21.000 --> 00:47:27.000 video signal is amplitude modulated, operates with a wide bandwidth and uses the 00:47:27.000 --> 00:47:32.000 lower portion of the TV channel, it was determined that channel 2 was twice as 00:47:32.000 --> 00:47:36.000 susceptible to interference from a 6 meter station than channel 1 was. 00:47:36.000 --> 00:47:42.001 [...] A-R-R-L's proposal to the FCC, eliminate channel 2, keep channel 1. 00:47:43.000 --> 00:47:48.000 But this idea didn't sit well with the stations already on channel 2, nor did it 00:47:48.000 --> 00:47:52.000 win the approval of Major Armstrong, who was still fighting the grand battle to 00:47:52.000 --> 00:47:55.001 keep FM broadcasting in the 42 to 50 megacycle range. 00:47:55.001 --> 00:48:02.000 And so, in August 1947, the FCC withdrew channel 1 from the TV allocations. 00:48:02.001 --> 00:48:08.000 By the end of 1947, all the pre-war FM broadcast stations had disappeared from 00:48:08.000 --> 00:48:13.000 the 42 to 50 megacycle range, which was then turned over to public service. 00:48:13.001 --> 00:48:17.000 Amateurs learned to operate in the lower portions of 6 meters to avoid 00:48:17.000 --> 00:48:19.000 TVI to channel 2. 00:48:19.000 --> 00:48:23.001 In our next installment, we are going to look at a major upheaval that began 40 00:48:23.001 --> 00:48:30.001 years ago and pitted amateur against amateur and, according to some, the A-R-R-L 00:48:30.001 --> 00:48:36.000 against hands. I'm talking about incentive licensing and how it changed the 00:48:36.000 --> 00:48:38.000 entire licensing structure. 00:49:10.000 --> 00:49:16.000 This is W2XBS with the propagation forecast for Friday, January 00:49:16.000 --> 00:49:18.000 29, 2021. 00:49:18.000 --> 00:49:24.000 Tad Cook, K7RA, in Seattle reports that solar activity increased this week. We 00:49:24.000 --> 00:49:30.000 saw no sunspot-less days, and the average daily sunspot number rose from 14.7 to 00:49:30.000 --> 00:49:37.000 28.1. The average daily solar flux was up also from 76.1 to 77.2. 00:49:37.000 --> 00:49:43.001 Average daily planetary A-endices rose from 4 to 9.4 due to a minor geomagnetic 00:49:43.001 --> 00:49:48.001 storm which occurred on Monday. On that day, Alaska's high-latitude college A 00:49:48.001 --> 00:49:55.001 -index was 33. Predicted solar flux for the next few weeks is 76, 75, 74, 00:49:55.001 --> 00:50:02.000 and 74 on January 29 to February 1. 72, 70, 70 again, and 00:50:02.000 --> 00:50:09.000 72 on February 2 through the 5th. 76 on February 6 to the 10th, and 00:50:09.000 --> 00:50:12.001 77 on February 11 to the 20th. 00:50:12.001 --> 00:50:19.000 The predicted planetary A-endice is 5 and 8 on January 29 to the 31st. 00:50:19.000 --> 00:50:26.000 18, 12, and 8 on February 1 through the 3rd, respectively. 5 on January 4 00:50:26.000 --> 00:50:32.001 through the 6th, 10 on February 7 and 8th, and back down to 5 on February 9 00:50:32.001 --> 00:50:34.000 through the 19th. 00:50:34.000 --> 00:50:40.001 Now the AMSAT report. AMSAT is continuing to assess the status of the RAD FX-SAT 00:50:40.001 --> 00:50:47.000 -2 or FOX 1E amateur radio cubesat after a Hammond Nevada reported hearing his 00:50:47.000 --> 00:50:53.000 CW signal weekly via the spacecraft's transponder on January 27. 00:50:53.000 --> 00:50:58.000 AMSAT engineering and operations was able to confirm the reports from Brad 00:50:58.000 --> 00:51:04.001 Shoemaker, W5SAT, and determine that RAD FX-SAT-2 is partially functioning, 00:51:05.000 --> 00:51:08.001 although signals are extremely weak. Nothing has been heard 00:51:08.001 --> 00:51:10.001 from the satellite before this. 00:51:10.001 --> 00:51:15.001 AMSAT said that while it appreciated hearing from those who were also able to 00:51:15.001 --> 00:51:21.000 detect their own or other signals in recent passes, it asked that stations not 00:51:21.000 --> 00:51:25.001 try to transmit through the transponder until further notice. 00:51:25.001 --> 00:51:31.001 The next crucial step in evaluating the condition of RAD FX-SAT-2 is to determine 00:51:31.001 --> 00:51:38.001 whether or not the 1200 BPS telemetry beacon is operating and if possible to 00:51:38.001 --> 00:51:41.000 copy telemetry from the beacon. 00:51:41.001 --> 00:51:46.000 The AMSAT report comes to us every week courtesy of Bruce Page, KK5DO. 00:51:47.000 --> 00:51:50.001 Paperwork and equipment checks have kept some members of the Rebel DX Group 00:51:50.001 --> 00:51:55.000 occupied since their arrival in Cape Town, South Africa, in early 2021. 00:51:56.000 --> 00:51:59.000 The team writes on the DX News website and their Facebook page, 00:51:59.001 --> 00:52:01.000 The Bouvet Trip is on track. 00:52:01.001 --> 00:52:06.000 The report that they are going forward with the 2021 DXpedition in spite of not 00:52:06.000 --> 00:52:10.001 yet having full operating budget, noting that they are not applying to any DX 00:52:10.001 --> 00:52:12.001 Foundations or Clubs for assistance. 00:52:13.000 --> 00:52:20.000 Polish DXpeditioner Dom 3Z9DX has organized this trip, which is the team's second 00:52:20.000 --> 00:52:24.001 attempt at the sub-anartic island, one of the most coveted DX on the planet. 00:52:25.000 --> 00:52:30.001 The expeditioners first attempt in 2019 was scrapped by the ship's captain after 00:52:30.001 --> 00:52:33.001 a severe cyclone swept in, damaging the vessel and making 00:52:33.001 --> 00:52:35.000 a safe landing unlikely. 00:52:36.000 --> 00:52:42.001 Meanwhile, there are reports in the Ohio Penn DX Bulletin that Dom 3Z9DX has been 00:52:42.001 --> 00:52:48.000 heard on the air from South Africa recently, operating from Cape Town as ZS Slant 00:52:48.000 --> 00:52:50.000 3Z9DX. 00:52:50.001 --> 00:52:53.001 He has been heard on 80, 20 and 17 meters. 00:52:54.001 --> 00:52:58.000 QSL via the club's log, OQRS. 00:52:59.000 --> 00:53:03.001 Here's the current listing of upcoming ARRL Learning Network webinars. 00:53:03.001 --> 00:53:07.000 Please note that the webinars are a member benefit and that this 00:53:07.000 --> 00:53:08.001 schedule is subject to change. 00:53:09.000 --> 00:53:14.001 Easy helical copper tape and PVC 2-meter vertical antenna hosted by John Portune, 00:53:15.000 --> 00:53:16.001 W6, NBC. 00:53:17.001 --> 00:53:21.001 Learn how to quickly build a tiny 18-inch continuously loaded lightweight 00:53:21.001 --> 00:53:25.001 portable or base station 2-meter omnidirectional vertical with performance and 00:53:25.001 --> 00:53:28.001 efficiency comparable to a 5-foot J-Pulp. 00:53:29.000 --> 00:53:32.000 All you need is some hardware store copper tape and PVC 00:53:32.000 --> 00:53:34.000 pipe, and the cost is roughly $10. 00:53:35.000 --> 00:53:39.000 It's an easy afternoon's homebrew project, ideal for the new ham but equal 00:53:39.000 --> 00:53:41.000 to the experienced ham's needs. 00:53:41.001 --> 00:53:43.001 It's great for events like bike-a-thons. 00:53:44.000 --> 00:53:47.001 It also makes an excellent ham radio club hands-on building project and the 00:53:47.001 --> 00:53:49.001 design is adaptable to other bands. 00:53:49.001 --> 00:53:55.001 This webinar is scheduled for Tuesday, February 2, 2021 at 1 p.m. Eastern or 00:53:55.001 --> 00:53:57.001 1800 UTC. 00:53:58.001 --> 00:54:02.001 Interesting Stories about Ham Radio and Weather Spotting hosted by Rob Moceto, 00:54:03.000 --> 00:54:08.001 KD1-CY One of the most critical ways amateur radio supports agencies such as the 00:54:08.001 --> 00:54:13.000 National Weather Service, National Hurricane Center and Emergency Management is 00:54:13.000 --> 00:54:16.001 through weather spotting via the National Weather Service SkyWarn program. 00:54:16.001 --> 00:54:21.001 This presentation reviews some interesting stories about how amateurs involved in 00:54:21.001 --> 00:54:25.000 SkyWarn have saved lives and property and why this is an 00:54:25.000 --> 00:54:26.001 important amateur radio activity. 00:54:27.000 --> 00:54:32.001 This webinar is scheduled for Thursday, February 11, 2021 at 8 p.m. Eastern or 00:54:32.001 --> 00:54:36.000 0100 UTC on Friday, February 12. 00:54:36.001 --> 00:54:43.000 Maxim Memorial Station W1AW Tour hosted by Joe Carcia, NJ1Q, 00:54:43.001 --> 00:54:49.001 W1AW station manager Maxim Memorial Station W1AW located in Newington, 00:54:50.000 --> 00:54:54.000 Connecticut was established to honor the memory of A.R.L.'s co-founder and first 00:54:54.000 --> 00:54:56.000 president here in Percy Maxim. 00:54:56.000 --> 00:55:00.001 Although the first radio station of the A. R.L. was actually located in Hartford, 00:55:00.001 --> 00:55:07.000 Connecticut and active as W1MK, W1AW in Newington is known worldwide and 00:55:07.000 --> 00:55:11.000 considered the radio station most associated with here in Percy Maxim. 00:55:11.001 --> 00:55:16.000 Formally established in 1938, nearly two years after the death of here in Percy 00:55:16.000 --> 00:55:22.000 Maxim, W1AW has consistently been on the air save for the time when the station 00:55:22.000 --> 00:55:25.001 was ordered off the air by the FCC due to World War II. 00:55:25.001 --> 00:55:31.000 This guided tour will provide an inside look at W1AW and will be led by station 00:55:31.000 --> 00:55:34.000 manager Joe Carcia, NJ1Q. 00:55:35.000 --> 00:55:41.001 This webinar is scheduled for Thursday, February 18, 2021 at 0330 p.m. Eastern or 00:55:41.001 --> 00:55:43.001 2030 UTC. 00:55:44.000 --> 00:55:49.001 Talking to Astronauts, an elementary school's exciting areas experience hosted by 00:55:49.001 --> 00:55:53.000 Diane Warner, K.E.H.H.L.D. 00:55:53.000 --> 00:55:57.001 This is a story about Talmage Elementary School's participation in a once-in-a 00:55:57.001 --> 00:55:59.000 -lifetime Aries school contact. 00:56:00.000 --> 00:56:04.000 You'll learn about their amazing journey leading up to the amateur radio contact 00:56:04.000 --> 00:56:06.001 with an astronaut on the International Space Station. 00:56:07.000 --> 00:56:11.000 The excitement of the entire experience was shared not just by the students but 00:56:11.000 --> 00:56:15.000 included faculty, parents, the community and local amateur radio operators. 00:56:16.000 --> 00:56:18.001 You'll also learn how to begin the process of submitting 00:56:18.001 --> 00:56:20.000 your own Aries contact proposal. 00:56:20.000 --> 00:56:26.001 This webinar is scheduled for Tuesday, March 2, 2021 at 1 p.m. Eastern or 00:56:26.001 --> 00:56:28.000 1800 UTC. 00:56:28.001 --> 00:56:33.000 Visit the A.R.L. Learning Network webpage for more information. 00:56:34.000 --> 00:56:38.001 The Quarter Century Wireless Association is looking for an amateur radio operator 00:56:38.001 --> 00:56:43.001 who doesn't just love radio but has a talent for finance and numbers too. 00:56:43.001 --> 00:56:48.000 In short, the nonprofit group is in search of a treasurer to fill the post 00:56:48.000 --> 00:56:49.001 left vacant last year. 00:56:50.001 --> 00:56:54.001 The treasurer is responsible for preparing the proposed operating budget for 00:56:54.001 --> 00:56:56.000 approval by the board of directors. 00:56:56.001 --> 00:57:01.000 The treasurer also provides the board with quarterly income statements along with 00:57:01.000 --> 00:57:03.000 a year-end income statement and balance sheet. 00:57:03.000 --> 00:57:08.001 The treasurer's responsibilities also include preparing the necessary paperwork 00:57:08.001 --> 00:57:13.001 at tax time, which includes the proper documents for the employees and contact 00:57:13.001 --> 00:57:17.000 workers and the federal tax return among other forms. 00:57:18.000 --> 00:57:23.001 Members who are interested should contact Ken VE6AFO at 00:57:23.001 --> 00:57:28.000 presidentatqcwa.org. 00:57:28.000 --> 00:57:34.001 In 2020, a project between AMSAT UK, AMSAT NL and Swiss universities 00:57:34.001 --> 00:57:39.001 got underway with the aim of equipping two Swiss satellites with linear 00:57:39.001 --> 00:57:41.001 amateur radio transponders. 00:57:42.000 --> 00:57:46.001 Linear transponders permit several CW or SSB contacts to take place 00:57:46.001 --> 00:57:50.000 simultaneously within a prescribed passband. 00:57:50.000 --> 00:57:54.000 The satellites also include features for classroom 00:57:54.000 --> 00:57:56.000 demonstrations and experiments. 00:57:56.001 --> 00:58:01.001 The so-called CHESS project, that stands for Constellation of High Energy Swiss 00:58:01.001 --> 00:58:07.000 Satellites, includes two satellites which will be built simultaneously and later 00:58:07.000 --> 00:58:08.001 launched as a constellation. 00:58:08.001 --> 00:58:14.001 The main science objective is to improve understanding of the upper atmosphere by 00:58:14.001 --> 00:58:19.000 taking advantage of a constellation of identical satellites to study the 00:58:19.000 --> 00:58:22.001 composition of the Earth's atmosphere and its density. 00:58:23.000 --> 00:58:29.000 The Amateur Radio Payload is a joint project of AMSAT UK and AMSAT NL. Launch is 00:58:29.000 --> 00:58:33.000 not expected until the fourth quarter of 2022. 00:58:33.000 --> 00:58:38.001 Now celebrating our 22nd year keeping the amateur radio community informed, you 00:58:38.001 --> 00:58:43.001 are listening to This Week in Amateur Radio, available worldwide as a podcast 00:58:43.001 --> 00:58:49.000 from our web at www.twir.net. 00:59:09.001 --> 00:59:15.000 Welcome to the QSO Today Podcast. I'm Eric Guthforsz, your host. 00:59:15.000 --> 00:59:21.000 Ralph Holler, N4RH, started his ham radio journey as a 9-year-old with a knack 00:59:21.000 --> 00:59:24.000 for electronics leading to his first amateur radio licensing. 00:59:24.001 --> 00:59:29.001 Within a few years, Ralph earned a broadcast engineering licenses, radio station 00:59:29.001 --> 00:59:33.000 jobs, an education, and finally a career 00:59:33.000 --> 00:59:34.001 at the Federal Communications Commission. 00:59:36.000 --> 00:59:41.000 N4RH was a driving force behind many of the FCC initiatives that have had a 00:59:41.000 --> 00:59:44.001 lasting impact on radio amateurs in the USA and around the world. 00:59:45.001 --> 00:59:47.001 N4RH is my QSO Today. 00:59:48.001 --> 00:59:51.000 N4RH, this is Eric, 4Z1UG, are you there, Ralph? 00:59:51.001 --> 00:59:53.000 Hi, Eric, it's Ralph, yes I am. 00:59:53.001 --> 00:59:57.001 Ralph, thanks for joining me on the QSO Today Podcast. Can we start at the 00:59:57.001 --> 01:00:01.000 beginning of your ham radio story? When and how did it start for you? 01:00:02.000 --> 01:00:07.000 That's a little bit of a difficult question. I have to say I had an interest in 01:00:07.000 --> 01:00:11.000 radio back probably even before going to school. 01:00:11.000 --> 01:00:16.000 My folks used to tell me that they couldn't keep me away from electronic things. 01:00:16.001 --> 01:00:22.000 I would take flashlights apart and move Christmas tree lights from one plug to 01:00:22.000 --> 01:00:26.000 another, and sort of anything that had to do with electricity had my attention. 01:00:27.000 --> 01:00:34.000 Then when I was about eight years old, I met a ham radio operator, his name was 01:00:34.000 --> 01:00:40.000 Orville Strempel, W0UPU, now a silent key, but went over to his house 01:00:40.000 --> 01:00:43.001 and he fired up the rig. 01:00:43.001 --> 01:00:49.000 We talked to a number of stations and I thought, this is pretty neat. 01:00:49.001 --> 01:00:56.001 That led to me getting novice license in 1959 and ultimately upgrading to 01:00:56.001 --> 01:00:58.001 extra and I've been licensed ever since. 01:00:59.000 --> 01:01:01.001 Did Orville give you the test at that time, the first test? 01:01:01.001 --> 01:01:08.001 No, actually the test was given. I took a course that was given 01:01:08.001 --> 01:01:15.000 by the local radio club to get the novice license and the instructor of that 01:01:15.000 --> 01:01:17.000 course is the one that actually gave me the test. 01:01:17.001 --> 01:01:18.001 I see. And what was the hometown? 01:01:19.001 --> 01:01:20.000 Topeka, Kansas. 01:01:21.000 --> 01:01:21.001 And the radio club? 01:01:22.001 --> 01:01:23.000 Caw Valley radio club. 01:01:24.000 --> 01:01:25.000 Caw Valley like KAW? 01:01:26.000 --> 01:01:31.001 KAW, yeah. There's a river that flows through Kansas called the Caw River and so 01:01:31.001 --> 01:01:34.000 the club was named after that. 01:01:34.001 --> 01:01:37.000 And how old were you in 1959 when you got your novice license? 01:01:37.001 --> 01:01:38.001 I was nine. 01:01:39.001 --> 01:01:42.000 Wow, that's actually for those days that was pretty young, I think. 01:01:42.001 --> 01:01:47.000 Yeah, like I said, I was really interested from an early age. It was 01:01:47.000 --> 01:01:49.000 fascinating and got my attention. 01:01:49.001 --> 01:01:51.000 Do you remember what your first call sign was? 01:01:51.001 --> 01:01:54.000 K-N-0-Y-M-A. 01:01:54.000 --> 01:01:57.000 I think in those days it was good for a year. 01:01:57.001 --> 01:02:02.001 It was good for a year and then I tried upgrading to general. And those days you 01:02:02.001 --> 01:02:06.001 had to go to the FCC office to do that, which was for me Kansas City. 01:02:07.000 --> 01:02:12.001 I took the test and the first time I took it I failed the code and second time I 01:02:12.001 --> 01:02:17.000 took it I passed the code and failed the written and the third time I took it I 01:02:17.000 --> 01:02:19.000 finally passed it and got my general. 01:02:19.001 --> 01:02:21.000 And that was within that year period of time? 01:02:21.001 --> 01:02:27.001 Actually, it started in that year and ultimately by the time I got to general it 01:02:27.001 --> 01:02:32.001 was like six months after the novice had expired so I guess technically I haven't 01:02:32.001 --> 01:02:36.000 been licensed continuously but I tried to be. 01:02:36.001 --> 01:02:38.001 No, but technically you were ten years old when you got your general. 01:02:39.001 --> 01:02:40.000 That's true, yes. 01:02:40.001 --> 01:02:44.000 That's very impressive because I think in those days I remember taking the 01:02:44.000 --> 01:02:47.000 general at 16 years of age and it was pretty hard. 01:02:47.000 --> 01:02:53.000 Well, I went on and as soon as I got the general class there was no advance in 01:02:53.000 --> 01:02:55.001 those days. It was general to extra. 01:02:56.000 --> 01:03:02.000 But I didn't go that route. I then started on my commercial licenses and got my 01:03:02.000 --> 01:03:09.000 third class commercial license, radio telephone license when I was 12, upgraded 01:03:09.000 --> 01:03:13.001 into second class and got my first class radio telephone license when I was 13. 01:03:13.001 --> 01:03:19.000 So you have a first class radio telephone license at age 13 where you needed in 01:03:19.000 --> 01:03:22.001 Topeka, Kansas by any of the radio stations there to be their 01:03:22.001 --> 01:03:24.001 engineer or to at least sign logs? 01:03:25.001 --> 01:03:30.000 In fact, I became an engineer at one of the local radio stations when I was 01:03:30.000 --> 01:03:32.000 14, still in high school. 01:03:32.000 --> 01:03:37.001 I worked there part time as a transmitter engineer, ultimately a 01:03:37.001 --> 01:03:39.001 combination engineer disc jockey. 01:03:40.001 --> 01:03:43.001 Then when I left for college I went to a different station. 01:03:44.000 --> 01:03:48.000 I went to the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas and became chief engineer 01:03:48.000 --> 01:03:52.001 of the local commercial station there, KLWN. 01:03:53.000 --> 01:03:58.001 Did that for two years and then went back to KEWI in Topeka as chief engineer. 01:03:59.001 --> 01:04:03.001 Spent the rest of my time working my way through college 01:04:03.001 --> 01:04:05.001 as chief engineer of that station. 01:04:05.001 --> 01:04:11.000 Then did broadcast consulting for a while, build a few stations around the 01:04:11.000 --> 01:04:16.001 country and ultimately went to work for the FCC in late 1970. 01:04:17.000 --> 01:04:20.000 Here you are age 9 as a novice and then age 10 as a general. 01:04:20.001 --> 01:04:25.000 It sounds to me like your parents were quite supportive of your efforts to become 01:04:25.000 --> 01:04:28.001 a radio amateur, even taking you to Kansas City to get your license 01:04:28.001 --> 01:04:30.001 exams. What was their attitude? 01:04:30.001 --> 01:04:37.000 Well, supportive is the right answer. They thought that it was a 01:04:37.000 --> 01:04:39.000 good thing for me to get involved with. 01:04:40.000 --> 01:04:45.001 Frankly, by the time I was 9 I had already made the decision, I'll come back to 01:04:45.001 --> 01:04:49.000 this, but I'd already made the decision that my career was going 01:04:49.000 --> 01:04:50.001 to be as an electrical engineer. 01:04:51.001 --> 01:04:58.000 They thought that this was a good opportunity for me to get some experience and 01:04:58.000 --> 01:05:04.001 also because of the radio club to get to know people who were working 01:05:04.001 --> 01:05:10.001 as engineers and technicians in radio and television mostly. 01:05:11.001 --> 01:05:17.001 They thought it was excellent for me to start getting involved in these kinds of 01:05:17.001 --> 01:05:21.001 activities at that age, given what I thought I wanted to do with my life. 01:05:22.001 --> 01:05:25.001 This was kind of the age of Sputnik as well, right? So that there was a lot of 01:05:25.001 --> 01:05:27.001 excitement about radio in those days? 01:05:28.000 --> 01:05:32.000 Absolutely. I had my receiver and I tuned it in and listened to it. 01:05:32.001 --> 01:05:35.000 Okay, so what was the first rig as a novice? 01:05:35.000 --> 01:05:42.000 I had a Halecrafters S85 receiver that my folks bought for me and I 01:05:42.000 --> 01:05:48.000 built a novice transmitter out of the AWRL handbook, because I recall it was 01:05:48.000 --> 01:05:53.000 three tubes, and built it and put it on the air. 01:05:53.000 --> 01:05:56.001 And my whole novice career, I made two contacts. 01:05:57.000 --> 01:06:04.000 The first contact that I made was with the FTC monitoring station in 01:06:04.000 --> 01:06:07.001 Grand Island, Nebraska for second harmonic radiation. 01:06:08.000 --> 01:06:11.000 I was on 80 meters, but they heard me a little above 40. 01:06:12.000 --> 01:06:17.000 And my second contact was with AWRL official observer in Kalamazoo, Michigan. 01:06:18.000 --> 01:06:22.000 Same situation. I turned the transmitter off and did not turn it back on. 01:06:22.000 --> 01:06:24.000 But still you weren't discouraged and you went on to 01:06:24.000 --> 01:06:26.000 get your general class license. 01:06:27.000 --> 01:06:29.001 Absolutely. Yeah, it didn't discourage me, although I was concerned about going 01:06:29.001 --> 01:06:32.000 to jail if I kept the transmitter operational. 01:06:32.001 --> 01:06:36.001 So you upgraded to general a year later. Did the rig improve at that point? 01:06:37.000 --> 01:06:44.000 Yes. At that time, again, my folks were supportive and they got a Viking Valiant 01:06:44.000 --> 01:06:50.000 transmitter, which was a CWAM transmitter, about 200 watts. 01:06:50.000 --> 01:06:55.001 And so I had that and I never received any more violations. 01:06:55.001 --> 01:06:59.001 So it was probably a good thing to quit using the one I made. 01:06:59.001 --> 01:07:02.001 And were you active on the air and were you on CW or phone? 01:07:03.000 --> 01:07:05.001 I was on both. And yes, I was active on the air. 01:07:06.000 --> 01:07:13.000 There was a group of teenagers that started a 40 meter net. 01:07:14.000 --> 01:07:15.000 We met every Saturday morning. 01:07:15.000 --> 01:07:20.000 I checked into that regularly. Some evenings after school we would 01:07:20.000 --> 01:07:21.001 get together and talk. 01:07:22.001 --> 01:07:25.001 And I was also active in the local radio club. 01:07:26.000 --> 01:07:27.001 I'm very active on two meters. 01:07:28.001 --> 01:07:35.001 The two meter activity originally in town was basically simplex with converted 01:07:35.001 --> 01:07:40.000 commercial equipment that had been taken out of service because the equipment had 01:07:40.000 --> 01:07:45.000 to be narrow banded from 25 to 15 kilohertz. 01:07:45.000 --> 01:07:48.000 So there was a lot of commercial equipment available. 01:07:48.001 --> 01:07:54.001 And then we eventually got a repeater in town and I was active in that. 01:07:56.000 --> 01:08:00.000 So yes, during most of that time I was pretty active. 01:08:00.001 --> 01:08:04.000 This goes to my early interest in commercial equipment as well. Do you 01:08:04.000 --> 01:08:05.001 remember what your two meter rig was? 01:08:05.001 --> 01:08:12.000 The first one was the Motorola 80D which was actually two separate units, 01:08:12.001 --> 01:08:16.000 transmitter and receiver separate, they hooked together with big cables. 01:08:16.000 --> 01:08:19.000 And the transmitter had a dyno motor in it. 01:08:19.001 --> 01:08:22.001 So when you had it in the car you used it and pressed the 01:08:22.001 --> 01:08:24.001 button, the headlights dimmed. 01:08:25.000 --> 01:08:31.001 But it worked. And I got it on the air and then eventually got 01:08:31.001 --> 01:08:33.001 an RCA unit. 01:08:34.001 --> 01:08:38.001 And it was surplused from the railroads. 01:08:39.001 --> 01:08:42.001 Topeka was a, well actually the headquarters of the 01:08:42.001 --> 01:08:44.001 Acheson Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. 01:08:45.000 --> 01:08:48.001 One of the people in the club was with the railroad. 01:08:49.001 --> 01:08:55.000 And he was able to get most of us in the club some of this surplus equipment that 01:08:55.000 --> 01:08:58.000 they couldn't use anymore at a very reasonable price. 01:08:58.000 --> 01:09:02.000 So got that and had a couple of units on the air. 01:09:02.000 --> 01:09:05.001 Then I used the 80D as a base station and used the RCA as a mobile. 01:09:06.001 --> 01:09:08.001 Continued using that actually for several years. 01:09:09.001 --> 01:09:14.001 You are listening to an interview from the QSO Today podcast with Ralph Haller 01:09:14.001 --> 01:09:18.001 and 4RH conducted by Eric Guth, 4Z1UG. 01:09:19.000 --> 01:09:23.000 We thank Eric and the QSO Today podcast for the use of their program here 01:09:23.000 --> 01:09:24.001 on This Week in Amateur Radio. 01:09:24.001 --> 01:09:29.000 We will be back with more of the interview right after we take this pause for 01:09:29.000 --> 01:09:31.001 stations along our network to identify. 01:09:32.000 --> 01:09:35.000 Serving the amateur radio community for 22 years and counting. 01:09:35.001 --> 01:09:38.001 You are listening to This Week in Amateur Radio. 01:09:59.000 --> 01:10:02.000 Yeah I love that stuff. I love the smell of that stuff. 01:10:02.001 --> 01:10:06.001 I am a little younger than you so I remember the Motorola T powers. The 01:10:06.001 --> 01:10:08.001 GGTs, things like that. 01:10:08.001 --> 01:10:13.000 Well the interesting thing about the 80Ds is they had locked tubes which 01:10:13.000 --> 01:10:14.001 were pretty interesting. 01:10:15.000 --> 01:10:18.001 I don't know if you are familiar with them. They had little tiny pins. 01:10:19.000 --> 01:10:22.001 They looked like regular octal tubes except for the smaller pins. 01:10:22.001 --> 01:10:27.001 When you pressed them into the socket they really snapped in. 01:10:27.001 --> 01:10:32.001 I guess they were made because they were concerned in a mobile environment that 01:10:32.001 --> 01:10:36.000 if they didn't have that the tubes would fall out with the vibration. 01:10:36.000 --> 01:10:38.000 That was the only reason I could figure why they made them. 01:10:38.000 --> 01:10:44.001 It was interesting units and certainly gave me a lot of 01:10:44.001 --> 01:10:50.001 experience in terms of converting them from the commercial frequencies down to 01:10:50.001 --> 01:10:53.000 the amateur frequencies, getting them on the air. 01:10:54.000 --> 01:11:01.000 A lot of my interest in amateur radio has really been more on the technical 01:11:01.000 --> 01:11:06.000 side learning about electronics more so than communications. 01:11:06.001 --> 01:11:13.000 It's okay to talk and I don't have any problem with that but my real interest has 01:11:13.000 --> 01:11:15.000 always been more on the technical side of it. 01:11:16.000 --> 01:11:18.001 I understand that completely. I think that's what I do as well. 01:11:19.000 --> 01:11:24.000 Let me ask you, as a 14 year old first class radio telephone licensee and 01:11:24.000 --> 01:11:29.001 engineer at a radio station, how were you regarded by adults who were your peers 01:11:29.001 --> 01:11:32.001 at the radio station as a young engineer there? 01:11:32.001 --> 01:11:39.000 I was rather fortunate in that the station that I worked at was 01:11:39.000 --> 01:11:40.001 a top 40 station. 01:11:42.000 --> 01:11:47.001 The majority of the people working there were relatively young. 01:11:48.001 --> 01:11:52.001 Certainly there were only a few people that were over 30, the 01:11:52.001 --> 01:11:54.000 owner, one of the engineers. 01:11:55.000 --> 01:12:01.001 Most of the other engineers were actually college students that were going to the 01:12:01.001 --> 01:12:06.000 University of Kansas and working at the radio station on a part time basis. 01:12:07.000 --> 01:12:13.000 It's not like I was 14 and working with a group of 50 year olds. 01:12:13.001 --> 01:12:18.000 I was working with a group of 20 year olds for the most part, 18 to 01:12:18.000 --> 01:12:20.000 25 for the most part. 01:12:20.001 --> 01:12:26.001 It's not like I was that much different in age and I certainly never felt that 01:12:26.001 --> 01:12:32.000 there was any kind of animosity about my age and my working there. 01:12:32.001 --> 01:12:35.001 I was accepted and enjoyed it. 01:12:36.000 --> 01:12:40.000 You received a degree from the University of Kansas? 01:12:40.000 --> 01:12:44.000 Yes, Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering. 01:12:44.001 --> 01:12:46.001 Did you go on for advanced degrees after that? 01:12:46.001 --> 01:12:52.000 I did some work towards an advanced degree but actually I never 01:12:52.000 --> 01:12:54.000 completed an advanced degree. 01:12:54.001 --> 01:12:59.001 You mentioned earlier that you ended up at the FCC. How did you begin at the FCC? 01:13:01.000 --> 01:13:02.000 Well, it was a little bit by accident. 01:13:03.000 --> 01:13:08.001 After I left the radio station as chief engineer, I went to work for a broadcast 01:13:08.001 --> 01:13:15.000 consultant in town and we built radio stations, mostly in the Midwest. 01:13:15.001 --> 01:13:17.001 [...] also did maintenance on them. 01:13:18.000 --> 01:13:21.000 One of the things we had to do in those days when you were going to put a new 01:13:21.000 --> 01:13:27.000 station on there, you actually had to go to the FCC field office and you had to 01:13:27.000 --> 01:13:32.001 identify any other FCC license facility within two miles 01:13:32.001 --> 01:13:34.000 of your proposed location. 01:13:34.000 --> 01:13:40.001 I was at the Kansas City FCC office one day and I was going through, 01:13:41.000 --> 01:13:47.000 in those days it was actually note cards to try and locate other stations for a 01:13:47.000 --> 01:13:48.001 new station that we were putting on. 01:13:50.001 --> 01:13:56.000 The engineer in charge there, who I got to know, who by the way is the person who 01:13:56.000 --> 01:14:00.001 failed me in my first hand exam, but I got to know him quite well actually. 01:14:00.001 --> 01:14:06.000 He came in and said, you know, we're hiring right now. Have you ever thought of 01:14:06.000 --> 01:14:07.001 possibly working for the FCC? 01:14:09.001 --> 01:14:16.000 I said, well, not really. I had never really thought about it. He said, well, why 01:14:16.000 --> 01:14:17.001 don't you fill out this application? 01:14:19.000 --> 01:14:23.001 We'll just send it in and maybe they'll want to hire you. 01:14:23.001 --> 01:14:28.001 I recommend working for the FCC. I've been here several years and 01:14:28.001 --> 01:14:30.000 I think it's a great place to work. 01:14:31.000 --> 01:14:36.001 So I said, fine. I filled it out. I heard nothing for several 01:14:36.001 --> 01:14:38.000 months, probably six months. 01:14:39.000 --> 01:14:46.000 All of a sudden I got this letter in the mail from the FCC and I opened it 01:14:46.000 --> 01:14:51.000 up and looked at it and it was travel orders to go to Los 01:14:51.000 --> 01:14:52.001 Angeles, move to Los Angeles. 01:14:54.000 --> 01:14:57.001 But nothing in there actually indicating that I had been hired, just 01:14:57.001 --> 01:14:59.001 travel orders to go to Los Angeles. 01:15:00.001 --> 01:15:05.000 So I called up and they said, oh yeah, nobody told you the Los Angeles 01:15:05.000 --> 01:15:07.000 office wants you to come to work for them. 01:15:07.001 --> 01:15:13.001 And I said, well, no, nobody told me. Well, do you want the job? And I thought 01:15:13.001 --> 01:15:16.001 about it and I said, yeah, yeah, I do. I'll take it. 01:15:17.000 --> 01:15:23.001 And so my wife and I packed up and moved to Los Angeles and 01:15:23.001 --> 01:15:27.001 started working in the field office there and just thoroughly enjoyed it. 01:15:27.001 --> 01:15:34.000 It's a decision that it's one of those pivotal decisions in one's life that it 01:15:34.000 --> 01:15:38.001 was the right decision at the time and it was a decision that 01:15:38.001 --> 01:15:40.001 affected the rest of my life. 01:15:41.000 --> 01:15:46.000 So, yeah, it was by accident sort of that I got there, but I'm glad I did it. 01:15:46.001 --> 01:15:49.000 And you were in the Los Angeles field office from what years? 01:15:49.000 --> 01:15:53.000 Late 70 through 76, mid 76. 01:15:53.001 --> 01:15:58.000 I'm sure that there's a number of hams listening to the podcast that probably 01:15:58.000 --> 01:16:02.000 took their amateur radio exam under your proctorship. 01:16:02.001 --> 01:16:08.001 Undoubtedly true because not only did I give exams in Los Angeles, we had 01:16:08.001 --> 01:16:10.001 Arizona as part of our territory. 01:16:10.001 --> 01:16:17.000 So I gave exams in Phoenix and Tucson, and we also gave exams 01:16:17.000 --> 01:16:19.001 in Bakersfield, California. 01:16:20.001 --> 01:16:26.000 So anybody that took exams in any of those places during those years, there's a 01:16:26.000 --> 01:16:28.001 reasonable chance that I gave them the exam. 01:16:29.001 --> 01:16:36.000 And if they took a commercial exam, there's a- no matter whether I gave the exam 01:16:36.000 --> 01:16:40.001 or not, there's a reasonable chance that my signature appears as the issuing 01:16:40.001 --> 01:16:42.000 officer on their license. 01:16:43.000 --> 01:16:47.001 I was quite involved in that, although that was really only one aspect of the 01:16:47.001 --> 01:16:54.000 job, but gave commercial radio telegraph, radio telephone, all the amateur exams. 01:16:54.000 --> 01:16:59.001 And one of the things that we had to do as an examiner is we had to know Morse 01:16:59.001 --> 01:17:05.000 code at 25 words per minute and pass it, our own test at 25 words per minute. 01:17:05.001 --> 01:17:12.000 So it required knowing Morse code and basically required, well, knowledge of the 01:17:12.000 --> 01:17:14.001 exams, the content and all. 01:17:15.000 --> 01:17:20.001 So presumably everybody that gave FCC exams was able to pass FCC exams. 01:17:21.000 --> 01:17:25.000 Now, the San Diego office was that handled by somebody else? I remember that 01:17:25.000 --> 01:17:27.000 there was an FCC office in San Diego. 01:17:28.000 --> 01:17:33.000 Clarence Spillman was the engineer in charge of that office at the time, and he 01:17:33.000 --> 01:17:39.000 was- that's actually a sub-office of the LA office, so he reported to the 01:17:39.000 --> 01:17:43.000 engineer in charge in Los Angeles who reported to the Field 01:17:43.000 --> 01:17:45.000 Operations Bureau in D.C. 01:17:45.000 --> 01:17:49.000 Well, that's where I took my general class exam. We were worried about parking in 01:17:49.000 --> 01:17:53.000 Los Angeles at the time, if you can believe that, in 1973. 01:17:54.000 --> 01:17:59.000 Let's move on. I remember in the 80s when cellular telephony was beginning, and I 01:17:59.000 --> 01:18:02.000 was involved in the two-way radio industry at the time, and so therefore, you 01:18:02.000 --> 01:18:04.001 know, I was following cellular telephony. 01:18:04.001 --> 01:18:10.000 And there was this idea that somehow cellular was going to be different than PCS, 01:18:10.001 --> 01:18:14.000 that for some reason, these would be two different services. Maybe 01:18:14.000 --> 01:18:15.001 PCS was going to have handsets. 01:18:16.000 --> 01:18:20.001 But it's my understanding that in 1994, you were appointed by then the FCC 01:18:20.001 --> 01:18:25.001 chairman, Reed Hunt, to lead the FCC's task force on PCS issues. 01:18:26.001 --> 01:18:29.001 Now, what happened to PCS, and why don't we hear about it now? 01:18:30.000 --> 01:18:36.001 Well, it's still there. It's just mostly a terminology thing. Technically, 01:18:37.000 --> 01:18:43.001 cellular radio operates in the 800 MHz band, and PCS operates 01:18:43.001 --> 01:18:49.000 in the 2 GHz band, 1.8, 1.9, 2, 01:18:49.001 --> 01:18:51.001 now up in 5 GHz. 01:18:52.000 --> 01:18:59.000 But PCS was intended to do two things. It was intended to use 01:18:59.000 --> 01:19:05.001 higher frequencies, where you could have more bandwidth, and it also 01:19:05.001 --> 01:19:12.000 was intended to provide, as a result, I should say, to provide more capacity 01:19:12.000 --> 01:19:16.000 for particularly data kinds of services. 01:19:16.000 --> 01:19:22.001 And so there's not a lot of difference between cellular and PCS, primary 01:19:22.001 --> 01:19:28.001 differences being the frequencies upon which they operate and the bandwidth of 01:19:28.001 --> 01:19:31.001 the modulation technologies that are used. 01:19:31.001 --> 01:19:38.001 Cellular tended to be, at the time, basically traditional FM, 01:19:39.000 --> 01:19:45.001 whereas the PCS services were moving more towards a 01:19:45.001 --> 01:19:48.001 spread spectrum sort of technology. 01:19:49.000 --> 01:19:55.001 So, again, to the end user, there's probably not a lot of difference, and 01:19:55.001 --> 01:20:01.000 there's no reason that an end user should know any difference in terms of 01:20:01.000 --> 01:20:03.000 how they use the equipment. 01:20:03.001 --> 01:20:10.000 But from a technology standpoint, PCS, I would have to say, is like a more 01:20:10.000 --> 01:20:12.000 advanced cellular system. 01:21:02.000 --> 01:21:07.000 So I remember in the time, and I get it, I get the idea that in those days we 01:21:07.000 --> 01:21:12.001 were evolving out of VHF, UHF, mobile telephone services that were quite elite. 01:21:12.001 --> 01:21:16.001 Rich people and business executives might have had those 01:21:16.001 --> 01:21:18.001 telephones. As you say, they were FM. 01:21:19.000 --> 01:21:22.000 And I remember the first cellular telephones that were marketed 01:21:22.000 --> 01:21:24.000 were also FM phones. 01:21:24.000 --> 01:21:27.001 So I got this idea, at least it seemed to me at the time, that it's possible that 01:21:27.001 --> 01:21:31.000 in those days people would have two wireless devices. 01:21:31.000 --> 01:21:36.001 One, a cellular phone, and perhaps as PCS evolved, that that would be like a data 01:21:36.001 --> 01:21:40.000 handset if we were even thinking in those terms at that time. 01:21:40.000 --> 01:21:44.001 Was the FCC under your task force, were you guys thinking in those terms at the 01:21:44.001 --> 01:21:48.001 time that possibly there could be something like an iPhone, a computer 01:21:48.001 --> 01:21:50.000 that people carry in their hand? 01:21:51.000 --> 01:21:58.000 Yes, absolutely. That was the idea to even begin providing video services, 01:21:58.000 --> 01:22:02.000 which seemed almost impossible to think about it. 01:22:02.000 --> 01:22:07.001 But that was the idea to provide advanced services like that. 01:22:08.001 --> 01:22:14.000 And in fact, we held hearings to talk about what PCS could provide. 01:22:14.000 --> 01:22:20.000 And I will never forget that one of the people who appeared before us 01:22:20.000 --> 01:22:27.000 in the hearing said, you know, this is going to evolve into 01:22:27.000 --> 01:22:33.001 something that ultimately is going to be implanted, and you won't 01:22:33.001 --> 01:22:35.000 even be carrying a device. 01:22:35.001 --> 01:22:40.000 And that's always hit me as that we're not there yet. 01:22:40.001 --> 01:22:47.001 But it seems like as things progress, we're getting more and more to the point 01:22:47.001 --> 01:22:53.000 of where devices are becoming very much in tune 01:22:53.000 --> 01:22:55.000 with human activity. 01:22:56.000 --> 01:23:02.000 And I think back to I wonder if there will be a day when we don't really 01:23:02.000 --> 01:23:04.000 talk about devices anymore. 01:23:04.001 --> 01:23:09.001 We just we think about communicating and the device takes over automatically 01:23:09.001 --> 01:23:11.001 and connects us. 01:23:12.001 --> 01:23:14.000 That's where he was headed. 01:23:14.001 --> 01:23:15.001 I don't know. 01:23:15.001 --> 01:23:17.000 I'm still a skeptic on that. 01:23:17.001 --> 01:23:21.001 But it's certainly a vision that is interesting to think about. 01:23:21.001 --> 01:23:25.001 Probably the reason we don't think or hear about PCS now is that 01:23:25.001 --> 01:23:27.000 all of these lines have blurred. 01:23:27.001 --> 01:23:33.001 And so we now carry one device, I think with the recapturing of analog television 01:23:33.001 --> 01:23:39.000 channels that created some vast open spaces for these data networks as well. 01:23:40.000 --> 01:23:41.000 Yes, definitely. 01:23:41.001 --> 01:23:47.001 The spectrum is definitely becoming more available for these kinds of services as 01:23:47.001 --> 01:23:49.001 a result of the repacking of TV. 01:23:50.001 --> 01:23:56.001 Though the services are also becoming more efficient, they're able to get more 01:23:56.001 --> 01:24:01.000 and more data into a particular bandwidth. 01:24:02.000 --> 01:24:07.000 And so you've got both things happening, the FCC making more spectrum available 01:24:07.000 --> 01:24:14.000 and the technology being more efficient in transmission of information. 01:24:14.000 --> 01:24:21.000 So you take the two and we've come to a point where we can get a whole lot 01:24:21.000 --> 01:24:24.001 of data over a relatively small amount of spectrum anymore. 01:24:25.000 --> 01:24:26.000 Yeah, it's quite amazing. 01:24:26.000 --> 01:24:31.001 I think the first computer I ever programmed was an IBM 370 and that took an 01:24:31.001 --> 01:24:34.000 entire floor of a building at school. 01:24:35.000 --> 01:24:40.000 And now I think I'm carrying in my pocket probably 100 buildings of IBM 370s. 01:24:40.000 --> 01:24:41.000 It's really quite amazing. 01:24:41.000 --> 01:24:48.000 It is. I go back to my college days and to program a computer, we had to sit down 01:24:48.000 --> 01:24:53.001 at a key punch machine and punch a deck of cards and then take them to the 01:24:53.001 --> 01:24:55.001 computer center, hand them in. 01:24:56.000 --> 01:24:59.001 They would run them overnight and we get the results back the next day. 01:25:00.001 --> 01:25:05.001 Think about that to where we are now where you sit down in front of a computer 01:25:05.001 --> 01:25:07.001 and everything is instantaneous. 01:25:07.001 --> 01:25:09.000 It's been a tremendous change. 01:25:09.000 --> 01:25:14.000 You're a little bit older than I am, but I also started on cards, but we could 01:25:14.000 --> 01:25:17.001 get ours processed in the time it would take to go buy coffee and drink it. 01:25:18.000 --> 01:25:19.001 Then you go back and you get your report, right? 01:25:20.000 --> 01:25:24.001 And you look and you'd see that you had a syntax error on card number 50. 01:25:25.001 --> 01:25:30.000 And so then you'd have to do the whole project over, fix the card, push the deck 01:25:30.000 --> 01:25:32.001 back in and then go get another cup of coffee. 01:25:33.000 --> 01:25:35.000 It made me learn to hate computers early on. 01:25:35.001 --> 01:25:37.000 That's exactly what happened to me. 01:25:37.000 --> 01:25:41.000 There wasn't instant gratification in those days and the people that stayed in 01:25:41.000 --> 01:25:45.000 computing, God bless them, because it's why we're where we're at now. 01:25:45.000 --> 01:25:47.001 But I think it was an early dropout to computing because 01:25:47.001 --> 01:25:49.001 of the time it took to get a reply. 01:25:50.000 --> 01:25:50.001 Exactly. 01:25:51.000 --> 01:25:57.000 And I was very resistant on getting involved in computers again. 01:25:57.000 --> 01:25:58.001 I really didn't want to do it. 01:25:58.001 --> 01:26:05.000 And ultimately I had to and things had changed a lot by then, and it was a lot 01:26:05.000 --> 01:26:11.000 more user friendly, which was okay, although I still find them pretty frustrating 01:26:11.000 --> 01:26:15.000 when they don't work and you have to troubleshoot what's wrong. 01:26:15.001 --> 01:26:19.000 But that being said, I don't see how we would get along in 01:26:19.000 --> 01:26:21.000 today's environment without them. 01:26:21.001 --> 01:26:24.001 How did your role at the FCC, how did that evolve after that? 01:26:24.001 --> 01:26:31.000 When I left Los Angeles in 76, I went to D. C. and my first job for a couple of 01:26:31.000 --> 01:26:37.001 years was in the inspections branch where all the field offices, I mean in the 01:26:37.001 --> 01:26:42.000 investigations branch, all the field offices would send their investigations, 01:26:42.001 --> 01:26:45.000 usually interference or unlicensed activity. 01:26:45.000 --> 01:26:51.000 And we would review the reports that came in and decide if there should be 01:26:51.000 --> 01:26:56.000 fine or what actions should be taken or if the case was 01:26:56.000 --> 01:26:58.000 resolved and should just be closed. 01:26:59.000 --> 01:27:03.001 And then I moved from that to chief of the monitoring station network. 01:27:04.000 --> 01:27:08.001 We had in that time 13 monitoring stations around the country. 01:27:09.001 --> 01:27:12.000 One of them in Puerto Rico, one in Hawaii. 01:27:12.000 --> 01:27:15.001 And I was in charge of that for a couple of years. 01:27:16.000 --> 01:27:23.000 Then in 1980, I went to the FCC's laboratory in Columbia, Maryland, 01:27:23.000 --> 01:27:27.001 and I was in charge of research at the FCC for three years. 01:27:28.000 --> 01:27:34.001 In 1983, I went back to D.C. and I worked in the policy and rules division 01:27:34.001 --> 01:27:36.001 of the broadcast bureau. 01:27:36.001 --> 01:27:42.001 And then from that, in 1986, I went to the private radio bureau and spent the 01:27:42.001 --> 01:27:46.001 rest of my career there and ultimately as chief of that bureau. 01:27:47.001 --> 01:27:54.000 And that is the bureau that licenses almost everything that's non-broadcast, non 01:27:54.000 --> 01:28:00.000 -cable, and non-common carrier, which means police, fire, amateur, 01:28:00.001 --> 01:28:06.000 boats, aircraft, anything that- think of the two-way services. 01:28:06.001 --> 01:28:10.001 And basically it licensed all of the two-way kinds of services. 01:28:11.001 --> 01:28:16.000 Now were FCC monitoring stations in those days manned by human beings or 01:28:16.000 --> 01:28:17.001 were those like remote monitoring? 01:28:18.000 --> 01:28:20.000 They were all staffed 24 hours a day. 01:28:20.001 --> 01:28:24.000 I remember that there was one in Southern California, right? Maybe in Santa Ana 01:28:24.000 --> 01:28:25.001 or in Orange County somewhere? 01:28:26.000 --> 01:28:27.000 Santa Ana, you're right. 01:28:27.001 --> 01:28:31.000 Those are interesting places. How do they do it now? Is there FCC monitoring 01:28:31.000 --> 01:28:32.001 stations around the country still? 01:28:32.001 --> 01:28:37.000 I'm not an expert in what they're actually doing now. 01:28:38.000 --> 01:28:43.000 I believe that some of those stations remain open and they're 01:28:43.000 --> 01:28:44.001 operated by remote control. 01:28:46.000 --> 01:28:51.001 And to the extent that they still have field offices, I believe the field offices 01:28:51.001 --> 01:28:58.000 have at least VHF, UHF direction finding capability, and some remote 01:28:58.000 --> 01:29:03.000 locations that they either dial into or can access through the internet. 01:29:04.000 --> 01:29:09.001 But I'm not directly involved with that and don't really know what the current 01:29:09.001 --> 01:29:13.001 configuration is, but I think it's something similar to what I just described. 01:29:14.000 --> 01:29:18.000 When you were running the private radio bureau, how important were amateur radio 01:29:18.000 --> 01:29:23.000 official observers to helping you keep at least the 01:29:23.000 --> 01:29:24.001 amateur radio portion of it clean? 01:29:24.001 --> 01:29:30.001 I didn't really ever have any direct interaction, so I 01:29:30.001 --> 01:29:34.000 can't really give you an answer to that question. 01:29:34.001 --> 01:29:36.001 I certainly was aware they were out there. 01:29:37.001 --> 01:29:43.000 I knew that they were doing a job to help keep the amateur 01:29:43.000 --> 01:29:44.001 radio service in check. 01:29:45.001 --> 01:29:52.000 But I never really received reports from the AWRL on how many people 01:29:52.000 --> 01:29:55.000 they would send notices to and all. 01:29:55.001 --> 01:30:00.001 I knew they were there and I knew they were doing good, but I couldn't 01:30:00.001 --> 01:30:02.000 quantify it in any way. 01:30:02.001 --> 01:30:07.001 You are listening to an interview from the QSO Today podcast with Ralph Haller 01:30:07.001 --> 01:30:11.001 and 4RH conducted by Eric Guth for Z1UG. 01:30:11.001 --> 01:30:16.000 We thank Eric and the QSO Today podcast for the use of their program here 01:30:16.000 --> 01:30:17.001 on This Week in Amateur Radio. 01:30:18.000 --> 01:30:22.000 We will be back with more of the interview right after we take this pause for 01:30:22.000 --> 01:30:24.001 stations along our network to identify. 01:30:25.000 --> 01:30:29.000 Serving the amateur radio community for 22 years and counting. You are listening 01:30:29.000 --> 01:30:31.001 to This Week in Amateur Radio. 01:30:52.000 --> 01:30:58.000 Can you recall any major enforcements against an amateur radio operator during 01:30:58.000 --> 01:31:02.001 your tenure there at the FCC that perhaps is quite memorable to you? 01:31:02.001 --> 01:31:08.001 I really don't want to go into specific cases, but I would say the majority 01:31:08.001 --> 01:31:15.001 of issues that became problematic were with amateurs who 01:31:15.001 --> 01:31:19.000 were intent on causing interference. 01:31:19.000 --> 01:31:25.000 For one reason or another, they were either just cantankerous or they would get 01:31:25.000 --> 01:31:27.000 upset with somebody else. 01:31:28.000 --> 01:31:33.000 Trying to find and resolve interference issues was a problem. 01:31:33.000 --> 01:31:39.001 Some amateurs also would get involved in setting up 01:31:39.001 --> 01:31:42.000 unlicensed broadcast stations. 01:31:42.001 --> 01:31:48.000 We would wind up having to find those stations and close them down and then take 01:31:48.000 --> 01:31:50.001 action against their amateur radio license. 01:31:51.001 --> 01:31:55.000 That was primarily interference issues. 01:31:57.001 --> 01:32:04.001 Occasionally, we would find somebody operating illegally in some way overpower. 01:32:05.000 --> 01:32:08.000 That tended not to be a great problem in the amateur service. 01:32:08.001 --> 01:32:11.001 That was much more a problem in the Citizens Ban service 01:32:11.001 --> 01:32:13.000 where they were limited to 5 watts. 01:32:14.000 --> 01:32:18.000 People would go in and find them running 300 or 1,000. 01:32:19.001 --> 01:32:24.001 Most of the enforcement was much more on the Citizens Ban 01:32:24.001 --> 01:32:26.001 side than the amateur side. 01:32:27.000 --> 01:32:32.000 In the end, did the FCC ever create some spectrum for would-be broadcasters? 01:32:32.001 --> 01:32:35.001 I remember pirate broadcasters in Southern California. 01:32:36.000 --> 01:32:37.001 I was never one, but I knew some. 01:32:38.000 --> 01:32:42.000 It seemed to me that there was this compulsion to play records on the air. 01:32:42.001 --> 01:32:43.001 They couldn't help it. 01:32:44.000 --> 01:32:47.000 Did the FCC ever make some kind of spectrum available for this? 01:32:47.000 --> 01:32:48.000 Yes and no. 01:32:48.001 --> 01:32:54.000 Under Part 15 of the FCC rules, which is the part 01:32:54.000 --> 01:33:00.001 that regulates all of the unlicensed activity, there are provisions 01:33:00.001 --> 01:33:06.001 for low-power broadcast stations, both in the AM 01:33:06.001 --> 01:33:08.000 band and the FM band. 01:33:09.000 --> 01:33:14.000 There are limits on power and limits on antenna lengths. 01:33:14.000 --> 01:33:21.000 If someone complies with those requirements, they can put a station on the air, 01:33:21.000 --> 01:33:25.000 but it doesn't have a particularly long range. 01:33:26.001 --> 01:33:31.001 Yes, there is a provision whereby you can do it, but you can't 01:33:31.001 --> 01:33:33.000 serve a whole town with it. 01:33:33.001 --> 01:33:35.001 Are you still with the FCC now or are you retired? 01:33:36.000 --> 01:33:37.000 What's your current status? 01:33:37.000 --> 01:33:44.000 I left the FCC in 1996, and I became a 01:33:44.000 --> 01:33:48.001 consultant primarily in the land mobile services, police, fire, emergency, 01:33:49.000 --> 01:33:55.000 medical, and the business radio services and taxi cabs, helping people design 01:33:55.000 --> 01:33:58.000 radio systems and get licensed by the FCC. 01:33:58.000 --> 01:34:05.000 I did that until 2012, at which time I took 01:34:05.000 --> 01:34:08.001 a position in frequency coordination. 01:34:08.001 --> 01:34:14.000 The FCC certifies frequency coordinators in the various public safety 01:34:14.000 --> 01:34:15.001 and business radio services. 01:34:16.001 --> 01:34:22.001 I started working for the Forestry Conservation Communications Association, which 01:34:22.001 --> 01:34:26.000 is one of the certified public safety coordinators. 01:34:27.000 --> 01:34:31.000 I continue to do that now, although I'm just part-time now. 01:34:31.001 --> 01:34:36.000 I'm general manager of that operation, but I've gone to part-time. 01:34:36.000 --> 01:34:41.001 I'm basically about 90 percent retired today, but I have not been with the FCC 01:34:41.001 --> 01:34:44.001 for 20-some years. 01:34:45.001 --> 01:34:50.000 Ralph, in 2009, you received the Barry Goldwater Amateur Radio Award for unique 01:34:50.000 --> 01:34:52.000 contributions in the field of amateur radio. 01:34:52.000 --> 01:34:56.000 What are those unique contributions that you made to the field of amateur radio? 01:34:56.001 --> 01:34:59.001 Well, I was very honored to receive that award. 01:35:00.000 --> 01:35:05.000 I had the great opportunity to meet Barry Goldwater since he was from Arizona, 01:35:05.000 --> 01:35:08.000 and that was part of our district when I was in the field office. 01:35:08.001 --> 01:35:12.001 But I was very honored to receive the award, and there were perhaps 01:35:12.001 --> 01:35:14.000 a number of things that went into it. 01:35:14.000 --> 01:35:17.000 It's more like a lifetime achievement award, I guess. 01:35:17.000 --> 01:35:23.001 But some of the specific things that at least I'm proud of is I implemented 01:35:23.001 --> 01:35:28.000 the Vanity Call Sign System while I was chief of the private radio bureau. 01:35:29.000 --> 01:35:34.000 I also was instrumental in the first volunteer amateur 01:35:34.000 --> 01:35:36.000 exams at Dayton, Ohio. 01:35:36.001 --> 01:35:43.001 We worked with the local radio club, and we actually went out there, gave 01:35:43.001 --> 01:35:48.001 the exams to the volunteers, let them give the exams, and we sort 01:35:48.001 --> 01:35:50.001 of monitored the whole thing. 01:35:51.000 --> 01:35:55.000 And from that, proceeded into the volunteer exam program 01:35:55.000 --> 01:35:56.001 that we have in place today. 01:35:57.000 --> 01:36:03.001 I was also instrumental in getting frequency coordination 01:36:03.001 --> 01:36:10.001 for amateur repeaters as part of the VHF-UHF operations 01:36:10.001 --> 01:36:16.000 for amateur radio, which at one point there were a lot of repeater wars, people 01:36:16.000 --> 01:36:20.000 saying, this is my frequency, and somebody else saying it's my frequency. 01:36:20.001 --> 01:36:25.000 And getting frequency coordination into amateur radio I think was 01:36:25.000 --> 01:36:26.001 a big step forward. 01:36:27.001 --> 01:36:34.001 And I also felt that the Morse code requirement had kind of become obsolete, 01:36:34.001 --> 01:36:41.001 and so started the process of reducing and eliminating Morse code 01:36:41.001 --> 01:36:43.001 requirements to become an amateur. 01:36:44.000 --> 01:36:50.001 So those are all sort of things that I hope went into the Barry Goldwater Award. 01:36:50.001 --> 01:36:54.001 They never tell you for sure, but I think those are some of the things that have 01:36:54.001 --> 01:37:00.000 had a pretty big impact on amateur radio and I think a positive impact on amateur 01:37:00.000 --> 01:37:05.000 radio, both in letting people get their own call signs and in also 01:37:05.000 --> 01:37:07.000 encouraging people to come in. 01:37:07.001 --> 01:37:11.000 I think Morse code was a big detriment for a while to people coming in 01:37:11.000 --> 01:37:12.001 to be amateurs. 01:37:13.000 --> 01:37:17.000 So those are some of the things, at least, that I've done over my career that I 01:37:17.000 --> 01:37:19.000 think are important to amateur radio. 01:37:19.001 --> 01:37:23.000 Well, you know, what's interesting about the loss of the Morse code requirement, 01:37:23.000 --> 01:37:27.000 I actually think it was a good idea, but it appears to be now that there's a 01:37:27.000 --> 01:37:30.000 higher percentage of amateur radio operators who are now operating 01:37:30.000 --> 01:37:31.001 Morse code than there was before. 01:37:32.001 --> 01:37:34.001 I think that's kind of a funny thing, actually. 01:37:35.001 --> 01:37:38.001 When you're required, I think it's human nature, when you're required 01:37:38.001 --> 01:37:40.000 to do something, you resist it. 01:37:40.001 --> 01:37:45.000 But when you're allowed to do it, if you want to, you're more inclined to do it. 01:37:45.001 --> 01:37:51.001 And I think that may be just something related to human nature. 01:37:51.001 --> 01:37:57.000 I have a theory on it. I've interviewed a lot of hams. Your episode is 328, and 01:37:57.000 --> 01:38:02.000 so I've interviewed a lot of hams who operate Morse code and continue to operate 01:38:02.000 --> 01:38:04.000 Morse code or have gone to Morse code. 01:38:05.000 --> 01:38:09.000 And I think that part of the idea that they want to do this now is because I 01:38:09.000 --> 01:38:14.000 think we're so inundated with visual and audible information that just sitting 01:38:14.000 --> 01:38:20.001 down for an hour and having a conversation on CW, there's some kind of zen about 01:38:20.001 --> 01:38:24.000 it, and there's some kind of meditation that goes with that, that's kind of a 01:38:24.000 --> 01:38:28.001 break from the routine where we're just completely bombarded all day long with 01:38:28.001 --> 01:38:33.001 news and information and noise and everything. What do you think about that? 01:38:34.000 --> 01:38:40.001 I think you've hit on something because when you're operating on Morse code, it 01:38:40.001 --> 01:38:42.001 requires a full commitment. 01:38:44.000 --> 01:38:49.000 And there are a few people that can operate a key and listen to what's coming 01:38:49.000 --> 01:38:52.000 over the air and still talk to somebody in the room. 01:38:52.000 --> 01:38:55.001 I know one of them who I was always amazed could do it. 01:38:55.001 --> 01:39:00.001 But for most of us, if you're on Morse code, it's a full-time commitment to carry 01:39:00.001 --> 01:39:06.000 on that conversation and completely blanks your mind of all the other stuff. 01:39:06.001 --> 01:39:09.000 And I think it can be a very relaxing activity. 01:39:09.000 --> 01:39:13.000 There should be another book at some point. I'm sure someone will write it like 01:39:13.000 --> 01:39:16.000 zen and the art of CW operation. 01:39:16.000 --> 01:39:17.000 I like it. 01:39:40.000 --> 01:39:44.000 Serving the amateur radio community for 22 years and counting. You are listening 01:39:44.000 --> 01:39:46.001 to This Week in Amateur Radio. 01:40:06.001 --> 01:40:08.001 What's the current rig? 01:40:09.000 --> 01:40:14.001 The current one is pretty small. I just have 01:40:14.001 --> 01:40:16.001 an ICOM mobile. 01:40:17.000 --> 01:40:24.000 I have a dual band, 2 meter 440 unit in the car. And use it when I'm in 01:40:24.000 --> 01:40:27.000 the car. I don't actually have anything set up at the house. 01:40:28.000 --> 01:40:34.000 I'm in a deed restricted community and that limits what 01:40:34.000 --> 01:40:35.001 I can actually do here. 01:40:36.000 --> 01:40:43.000 So I'm sort of more content with just the mobile operation and not particularly 01:40:43.000 --> 01:40:45.001 active on the air these days, I have to admit. 01:40:45.001 --> 01:40:48.001 What's the first responder network authority or first 01:40:48.001 --> 01:40:50.001 net and what's your role in it? 01:40:50.001 --> 01:40:57.001 I don't have any specific role in it. It is a network that uses spectrum 01:40:57.001 --> 01:41:00.000 that was provided by the FCC. 01:41:00.001 --> 01:41:06.001 It is a network that is managed by the federal government, the National 01:41:06.001 --> 01:41:09.000 Information and Telecommunications Association, 01:41:09.001 --> 01:41:11.001 NTIA, part of the Department of Commerce. 01:41:11.001 --> 01:41:16.001 It is a broadband nationwide network for first responders. 01:41:18.000 --> 01:41:25.000 And the only thing that I have to do with it at all is I'm also chairman of 01:41:25.000 --> 01:41:30.001 the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council, which is a group of public 01:41:30.001 --> 01:41:32.001 safety trade associations. 01:41:32.001 --> 01:41:38.001 It's an informal federation of these that come together and help to develop 01:41:38.001 --> 01:41:45.000 standards for public safety communications, both technical and operational. 01:41:46.000 --> 01:41:52.001 And to that extent, that organization has provided quite a lot of input into the 01:41:52.001 --> 01:41:58.001 development of first net, again, both in terms of technical operation and in 01:41:58.001 --> 01:42:04.001 terms of the policies, how the network gets implemented. 01:42:05.000 --> 01:42:10.001 It's strictly advisory. It's not a part of first net. It's strictly advisory to 01:42:10.001 --> 01:42:13.001 first net, which first net can choose to follow or not. 01:42:14.000 --> 01:42:18.000 Is first net actually deployed across America? I mean, is there really 01:42:18.000 --> 01:42:19.001 a nationwide network? 01:42:19.001 --> 01:42:24.001 There is. The first net issued a contract to AT 01:42:24.001 --> 01:42:26.001 &T to build the network. 01:42:27.001 --> 01:42:34.000 And AT&T has built out the network nationwide, although there are still major 01:42:34.000 --> 01:42:37.001 gaps where it's not available. 01:42:37.001 --> 01:42:44.000 Interestingly, the area where I live, AT&T service is basically non 01:42:44.000 --> 01:42:50.000 -existent, but it's still a work in progress and 01:42:50.000 --> 01:42:51.001 they are going to build it out. 01:42:51.001 --> 01:42:55.001 And it is going to serve the first responders nationwide, but 01:42:55.001 --> 01:42:57.001 it's not totally built out yet. 01:42:58.000 --> 01:43:03.001 But there's certainly a lot of it that is built out across the country. 01:43:03.001 --> 01:43:08.001 Does that mean that there are first net handsets that are used on this network? 01:43:09.000 --> 01:43:12.001 There are. I can't get too deeply into this because I'm 01:43:12.001 --> 01:43:14.000 truly not involved in first net. 01:43:14.000 --> 01:43:20.000 So I can't really talk in terms of specific equipment at all. 01:43:20.001 --> 01:43:27.000 There's supposed to be a variety of equipment that meets the common air interface 01:43:27.000 --> 01:43:29.001 requirements of the first net system. 01:43:29.001 --> 01:43:35.000 But I cannot tell you what's actually out there that people are using, although I 01:43:35.000 --> 01:43:38.001 do know that the system is deployed and people are using it. 01:43:39.000 --> 01:43:43.001 As a person who is involved in national public safety issues, do you think that 01:43:43.001 --> 01:43:47.001 public safety is missing its simple VHF UHF channels? 01:43:48.001 --> 01:43:52.001 Well, I think we have to step back and say, what is the function of first net? 01:43:53.000 --> 01:43:57.001 First net was intended to be a broadband data network deployed nationwide. 01:43:57.001 --> 01:44:04.000 It was never intended to replace the traditional land mobile VHF and UHF systems. 01:44:04.001 --> 01:44:10.001 Most of those are still in operation. A number of them are expanding because 01:44:10.001 --> 01:44:13.001 they are the last resort. 01:44:14.001 --> 01:44:19.000 Most of them are hardened. Not all of the first net facilities are hardened. 01:44:19.000 --> 01:44:25.000 But most of the critical land mobile systems that are used by public safety 01:44:25.000 --> 01:44:28.001 are in sites that have backup generators. 01:44:29.000 --> 01:44:35.000 They're in bunkers. And they continue to operate under the worst of conditions. 01:44:36.000 --> 01:44:42.000 That is simply not true of the broadband networks. 01:44:42.001 --> 01:44:47.001 They may or may not continue to work in all situations. 01:44:47.001 --> 01:44:53.000 So to suggest that public safety has given up its VHF and 01:44:53.000 --> 01:44:55.000 UHF, I think would be wrong. 01:44:55.001 --> 01:44:58.001 They continue to use those and 800 megahertz. 01:44:59.000 --> 01:45:05.001 And most localities would not be relying on the first net network for their day 01:45:05.001 --> 01:45:09.000 -to-day voice dispatch kinds of communications at this point. 01:45:09.001 --> 01:45:12.001 Maybe they will someday, but not today. 01:45:12.001 --> 01:45:17.000 Do you think that the sophisticated systems that public safety is now using 01:45:17.000 --> 01:45:21.001 across America and across the world, that they become so siloed that if there's a 01:45:21.001 --> 01:45:25.000 fire burning between two cities, they can't coordinate it because 01:45:25.000 --> 01:45:27.000 they're talking on different channels? 01:45:27.000 --> 01:45:30.000 I like to think we're just the opposite of that. 01:45:30.000 --> 01:45:36.001 When 9-11 happened, there was a big concern that one 01:45:36.001 --> 01:45:38.001 department couldn't talk to another. 01:45:40.001 --> 01:45:45.001 Interoperability was a big problem. And frankly, it wasn't a technical problem. 01:45:46.000 --> 01:45:52.001 It was more a problem of a human problem in that each entity really 01:45:52.001 --> 01:45:56.001 didn't want others to be able to listen to its conversations. 01:45:56.001 --> 01:46:03.000 And so we had a silo system that was very intense. 9-11 01:46:03.000 --> 01:46:09.001 changed that to where more and more people, one, got on 01:46:09.001 --> 01:46:14.001 trunked systems in the 800 megahertz band that allowed everyone to communicate. 01:46:15.000 --> 01:46:21.000 And beyond that, even the VHF and UHF systems started putting in gateways so that 01:46:21.000 --> 01:46:22.001 one system could talk to another. 01:46:22.001 --> 01:46:27.001 And then FirstNet came along, which makes it possible for anybody that's on 01:46:27.001 --> 01:46:30.001 FirstNet anywhere in the country to communicate. 01:46:31.000 --> 01:46:38.000 And so I like to believe, and I really think it's true, that we have gone 01:46:38.000 --> 01:46:44.000 much more to a situation where every responder can talk to 01:46:44.000 --> 01:46:46.000 everyone else they need to. 01:46:46.000 --> 01:46:51.000 Did 9-11 change the approach by public safety organizations away from channel 01:46:51.000 --> 01:46:52.001 exclusivity and privacy? 01:46:53.000 --> 01:47:00.000 Well, what it did is it made everybody understand that communication 01:47:00.000 --> 01:47:03.000 between agencies is critical. 01:47:03.000 --> 01:47:09.001 And one of the big things that NIPSTIC has done is-one of the things 01:47:09.001 --> 01:47:16.001 that we found was people even had radios that could talk to each other, 01:47:17.000 --> 01:47:20.001 but they didn't know it because the channels didn't have the same names. 01:47:20.001 --> 01:47:25.001 And so one of the big things that I think NIPSTIC has contributed to 01:47:25.001 --> 01:47:32.000 interoperability is giving common channel names to all of the public safety 01:47:32.000 --> 01:47:38.001 channels so that if one entity wants to talk to another, if they have the same 01:47:38.001 --> 01:47:42.001 channel name in their radio, they can both get on that channel and talk. 01:47:44.000 --> 01:47:47.001 To not be able to talk because you don't know you have the same 01:47:47.001 --> 01:47:49.000 channel is just inexcusable. 01:47:50.000 --> 01:47:55.000 So, I mean, that's just one of the things that we've done that I think has really 01:47:55.000 --> 01:47:57.000 helped interoperability in this country. 01:47:57.001 --> 01:48:01.000 Are amateur radio operators useful in emergency events? 01:48:01.001 --> 01:48:02.001 [...] 01:48:03.001 --> 01:48:10.001 And I encourage amateurs to work with their local emergency management offices 01:48:10.001 --> 01:48:17.001 to be part of the operation because amateurs can also 01:48:17.001 --> 01:48:20.001 communicate when other systems are down. 01:48:20.001 --> 01:48:25.000 And they can provide essential backup communications. 01:48:25.001 --> 01:48:32.000 It's not police dispatch, but it's providing information in an emergency back 01:48:32.000 --> 01:48:36.000 to an emergency operations center that's needed and necessary. 01:48:36.000 --> 01:48:42.001 So I really encourage amateurs to work with their emergency management agencies 01:48:42.001 --> 01:48:46.000 as much as possible to be part of that team. 01:48:46.000 --> 01:48:50.000 It's a little harder, I think, to get that expertise out to the general public. 01:48:50.001 --> 01:48:57.000 But if you're in an area and you've worked with community leaders to say, hey, 01:48:57.000 --> 01:48:59.001 we're a resource. We're here if you need us. 01:48:59.001 --> 01:49:02.000 That's another way that amateurs can get involved. 01:49:02.001 --> 01:49:07.000 You are listening to an interview from the QSO Today podcast with Ralph Haller, 01:49:07.000 --> 01:49:10.001 N4RH, conducted by Eric Guth, 4Z1UG. 01:49:10.001 --> 01:49:15.000 We thank Eric and the QSO Today podcast for the use of their program here 01:49:15.000 --> 01:49:16.001 on This Week in Amateur Radio. 01:49:17.000 --> 01:49:21.000 We will be back with closing thoughts right after we take this pause for stations 01:49:21.000 --> 01:49:23.000 along our network to identify. 01:49:23.001 --> 01:49:27.001 Serving the amateur radio community for 22 years and counting. You are listening 01:49:27.001 --> 01:49:30.000 to This Week in Amateur Radio. 01:49:50.000 --> 01:49:55.001 When you speak to amateur radio groups, what perspective would you bring to the 01:49:55.001 --> 01:49:57.001 amateur radio community that should be heard? 01:49:57.001 --> 01:50:04.000 I think I try to have a theme that amateur radio 01:50:04.000 --> 01:50:07.000 can be lots of things to lots of people. 01:50:08.000 --> 01:50:12.000 And if you want to get involved in amateur radio, you should 01:50:12.000 --> 01:50:13.001 take advantage of all of that. 01:50:14.001 --> 01:50:21.000 And whether it is improving your technical skills, improving your communication 01:50:21.000 --> 01:50:26.001 skills, improving your public service skills. 01:50:26.001 --> 01:50:32.000 Any of those things, amateur radio provides an outlet that you can do that. 01:50:32.000 --> 01:50:37.000 It's an outlet that allows people to learn. It allows people to grow. 01:50:37.001 --> 01:50:42.001 And it allows interaction with others that have similar interests. 01:50:43.000 --> 01:50:49.000 So my basic theme is that amateur radio has not outlived its usefulness. 01:50:50.000 --> 01:50:54.000 It's different than it was 50 years ago or 20 years ago. 01:50:54.000 --> 01:50:58.001 It involves other technologies like the Internet today. 01:50:59.000 --> 01:51:06.000 But it's still an opportunity for people with a desire of 01:51:06.000 --> 01:51:10.001 technical knowledge to be able to get together with others to 01:51:10.001 --> 01:51:12.001 learn and to mentor. 01:51:13.001 --> 01:51:17.001 So I guess that's primarily what I talk about other than talking about 01:51:17.001 --> 01:51:19.000 my experiences at the FCC. 01:51:19.001 --> 01:51:26.000 The theme that I want people to understand is amateur radio is still viable. 01:51:26.001 --> 01:51:33.001 It's still a very wonderful way to expand one's horizon. 01:51:34.000 --> 01:51:37.001 Ralph, I want to thank you so much for joining me on the QSO Today podcast. 01:51:38.000 --> 01:51:41.000 Well, thank you for having me. I've enjoyed this. The time 01:51:41.000 --> 01:51:43.000 has gone by very fast for me. 01:51:43.000 --> 01:51:45.000 I hope it will for your listeners as well. 01:51:45.000 --> 01:51:49.001 I really appreciate the opportunity to share some of my experiences with your 01:51:49.001 --> 01:51:51.001 listeners. So thank you. 73. 01:51:53.000 --> 01:51:59.000 AMSAT reports that it's continuing to assess the status of the RAD-FXSAT-2 Fox 1E 01:51:59.000 --> 01:52:04.000 Amateur Radio Cube Set after Ham and Nevada reported hearing his CW signal weekly 01:52:04.000 --> 01:52:08.000 via the spacecraft's transponder on January 27. 01:52:09.000 --> 01:52:13.000 AMSAT Engineering and Operations was able to confirm the reports from Brad 01:52:13.000 --> 01:52:20.000 Schumacher, W5SAT, and determine that RAD-FXSAT-2 is partially functioning, 01:52:20.001 --> 01:52:23.000 although signals are extremely weak. 01:52:23.001 --> 01:52:27.000 We also appreciate those who joined in determining whether they could detect 01:52:27.000 --> 01:52:32.000 their own or other signals in recent passes today, AMSAT said in 01:52:32.000 --> 01:52:33.001 a January 28 bulletin. 01:52:33.001 --> 01:52:38.000 Please do not attempt to transmit through the transponder until further notice. 01:52:38.001 --> 01:52:42.000 This is very important to the next steps we are taking now. 01:52:42.001 --> 01:52:49.000 The next crucial step in evaluating the condition of RAD-FXSAT-2 is to determine 01:52:49.000 --> 01:52:55.001 whether or not the 1200 BPS-BPSK telemetry beacon is operating and, if 01:52:55.001 --> 01:52:58.000 possible, to copy telemetry from the beacon. 01:52:59.000 --> 01:53:05.000 AMSAT continues to ask that those with 70 cm receive capability to listen on the 01:53:05.000 --> 01:53:10.001 beacon frequency of 435.750 MHz plus or minus 01:53:10.001 --> 01:53:12.000 Doppler upper sideband. 01:53:12.001 --> 01:53:18.000 Use the Fox telem to capture any telemetry and set Fox telem to upload to server 01:53:18.000 --> 01:53:21.000 so that AMSAT will receive the telemetry data. 01:53:48.000 --> 01:53:50.001 Recordings are welcome with a detailed description. 01:53:51.001 --> 01:53:57.000 We thank the amateur satellite community for their perseverance and assistance 01:53:57.000 --> 01:54:02.000 while the AMSAT engineering and operations teams work to understand and resolve 01:54:02.000 --> 01:54:07.000 the situation with RAD-FXSAT-2, AMSAT said. 01:54:07.000 --> 01:54:13.000 YouTube recordings and PDF files from the 2021 Propagation Summit hosted on 01:54:13.000 --> 01:54:16.000 January 23 by Contest University are now available. 01:54:17.000 --> 01:54:21.000 More than a thousand logged in for the sessions. Each presentation begins on the 01:54:21.000 --> 01:54:25.000 hour. You can advance the video to the presentation you wish to view. 01:54:25.000 --> 01:54:30.001 The 11 a.m. session update on the Personal Space Weather Station project and HAM 01:54:30.001 --> 01:54:37.000 SCI activities for 2021 hosted by Dr. Nathaniel Frizzell W2NAF. 01:54:37.001 --> 01:54:43.000 The 12 noon session entitled Solar Cycle 25 Predictions in Progress hosted by 01:54:43.000 --> 01:54:45.001 Carl Lutzenchwab, K9LA. 01:54:46.001 --> 01:54:51.001 The 1 p.m. session called Maximizing Performance of HF Antennas with Irregular 01:54:51.001 --> 01:54:56.000 Terrain hosted by Jim Braichall, WA3FTT. 01:54:56.001 --> 01:55:01.000 And the 2 p.m. session entitled HF Propagation, What to Expect During the Rising 01:55:01.000 --> 01:55:07.000 Years of Solar Cycle 25 hosted by Frank Donovan, W3LPL. 01:55:08.000 --> 01:55:11.001 Slide decks are available for each presentation in the PDF format. 01:55:11.001 --> 01:55:14.001 The French Defense Ministry is in search for radio jammers 01:55:14.001 --> 01:55:16.000 that can be drone mounted. 01:55:16.001 --> 01:55:21.000 The government's Defense Innovation Agency has put out a request for proposals in 01:55:21.000 --> 01:55:25.000 search of a small low power warfare device that can find radio communication 01:55:25.000 --> 01:55:30.000 transmitters while mounted on a fixed or rotary winged drone and possibly disable 01:55:30.000 --> 01:55:32.000 the signals through jamming. 01:55:32.000 --> 01:55:36.000 Proposals were due no later than the 18th of January and demonstrations of 01:55:36.000 --> 01:55:39.000 prototypes will follow over the course of the next seven months. 01:55:39.000 --> 01:55:43.001 The devices are expected to be capable of detecting any number of transmitters 01:55:43.001 --> 01:55:49.001 operating between 30 MHz and 6 GHz and available to transmit their findings in 01:55:49.001 --> 01:55:52.000 real time to a receiving station on the ground. 01:55:53.000 --> 01:55:56.000 Bidding is being limited to companies within the European Union. 01:55:56.001 --> 01:56:02.001 During 2020, a project between AMSAT UK, AMSAT NL and Swiss universities got 01:56:02.001 --> 01:56:07.000 underway with the aim of equipping two Swiss satellites for now under the CHESS 01:56:07.000 --> 01:56:09.001 name with linear amateur radio transponders. 01:56:10.000 --> 01:56:15.000 Linear transponders permit several CW or SSB contacts to take place 01:56:15.000 --> 01:56:17.001 simultaneously within a prescribed passband. 01:56:18.000 --> 01:56:20.000 The satellites also include features for 01:56:20.000 --> 01:56:22.000 classroom demonstrations and experiments. 01:56:22.000 --> 01:56:27.000 The CHESS, our constellation of High Energy Swiss Satellites Project, includes 01:56:27.000 --> 01:56:30.001 two satellites which will be built simultaneously and later 01:56:30.001 --> 01:56:32.000 launched as a constellation. 01:56:32.001 --> 01:56:36.000 The main science objective is to improve the understanding of the upper 01:56:36.000 --> 01:56:40.001 atmosphere by in-situ measurements, taking advantage of a constellation of 01:56:40.001 --> 01:56:45.000 identical nano-satellites to study the composition of the terrestrial atmosphere 01:56:45.000 --> 01:56:47.001 and its density, the CHESS website explains. 01:56:47.001 --> 01:56:52.001 The first satellite will have a nearly circular orbit and an altitude of 400 km. 01:56:53.000 --> 01:56:57.000 The second will have an elliptical orbit with an altitude of anywhere between 01:56:57.000 --> 01:56:59.001 350 and 1,000 km. 01:57:00.000 --> 01:57:05.000 The amateur radio payload is a joint project of AMSAT UK and AMSAT NL. A 01:57:05.000 --> 01:57:09.000 successful review of system requirements was completed in December. Launch will 01:57:09.000 --> 01:57:11.001 not take place until the fourth quarter of 2022. 01:57:11.001 --> 01:57:17.001 The Intrepid DX Group is seeking nominations for the individual or group that 01:57:17.001 --> 01:57:20.000 most display their Intrepid Spirit in 2020. 01:57:21.000 --> 01:57:25.001 For the purposes of this award, an Intrepid Spirit is bold, courageous, 01:57:26.000 --> 01:57:31.001 dedicated, innovative, fearless, generous, resolute, and visionary in their 01:57:31.001 --> 01:57:34.000 approach to amateur radio, the organization says. 01:57:35.000 --> 01:57:39.000 We want to recognize those individuals or groups that activated the rare and 01:57:39.000 --> 01:57:44.000 difficult dangerous places in 2020 exhibiting an unshakable commitment to the 01:57:44.000 --> 01:57:45.001 amateur radio DX community. 01:57:46.001 --> 01:57:49.001 Deadline for the 2020 nominations is February 15. 01:57:50.000 --> 01:57:55.000 Submit nominations via email to intrepiddxgroups.com. 01:57:55.000 --> 01:58:01.001 It is given in the memory of James McLaughlin, W.A.2EWE Slant, T6AF. 01:58:01.001 --> 01:58:06.001 James was a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army. He was shot to death in 01:58:06.001 --> 01:58:10.000 April 2011 while working as a contractor for the U.S. government 01:58:10.000 --> 01:58:12.000 in Kabul, Afghanistan. 01:58:13.000 --> 01:58:17.001 The board of directors of the Intrepid DX Group will evaluate the nominations and 01:58:17.001 --> 01:58:20.000 the award will be presented in May 2021. 01:58:20.000 --> 01:58:25.001 Now celebrating our 22nd year keeping the amateur radio community informed, you 01:58:25.001 --> 01:58:30.001 are listening to This Week in Amateur Radio, available worldwide as a podcast 01:58:30.001 --> 01:58:36.000 from our web at www.twir.net. 01:58:56.001 --> 01:59:02.000 In the last three segments on the subject of promoting Your Ham Radio Club's 01:59:02.000 --> 01:59:06.000 event, we covered making a successful public service announcement. 01:59:06.001 --> 01:59:11.001 In this segment, we'll look into where to send your PSA once it's ready to mail. 01:59:11.001 --> 01:59:17.000 I'm always collecting addresses for local media outlets. No matter how long I've 01:59:17.000 --> 01:59:21.000 looked, I'm always finding new places to get free advertising for 01:59:21.000 --> 01:59:23.000 our local ham radio clubs. 01:59:23.001 --> 01:59:29.001 In the library, or at most radio stations' business offices, you can find a thick 01:59:29.001 --> 01:59:33.001 paperback book called the M Street Directory. 01:59:34.000 --> 01:59:37.001 This is a good reference for names, fax numbers, and addresses of radio 01:59:37.001 --> 01:59:39.001 stations in North America. 01:59:39.001 --> 01:59:45.001 Most states have a broadcaster association and books of addresses and 01:59:45.001 --> 01:59:47.000 other contact information. 01:59:47.001 --> 01:59:52.000 Engineering firms who provide technical services to the broadcast industry also 01:59:52.000 --> 01:59:57.000 keep these books and would no doubt let you copy the pages to begin your 01:59:57.000 --> 01:59:59.000 collection of local media outlets. 01:59:59.000 --> 02:00:04.000 For your club's fundraising promotion, I would suggest posting notes in grocery 02:00:04.000 --> 02:00:09.000 stores, laundromats, schools' libraries, the nearest National Weather Service 02:00:09.000 --> 02:00:11.001 office, and neighborhood bulletin boards. 02:00:11.001 --> 02:00:17.001 Mail copies of your PSA to all local radio stations, TV stations, cable TV 02:00:17.001 --> 02:00:23.001 offices, newspapers, technical vocational schools, on-campus radio and TV 02:00:23.001 --> 02:00:26.000 stations, and even the local Radio Shack store. 02:00:26.000 --> 02:00:31.000 As an extra incentive, when you mail your PSA to your local radio and TV 02:00:31.000 --> 02:00:36.001 stations, include several complimentary admission tickets for the station to use 02:00:36.001 --> 02:00:39.001 as they see fit with no strings attached. 02:00:40.000 --> 02:00:44.001 This both allows them to give them away to listeners or offer them to station 02:00:44.001 --> 02:00:49.001 staff who may also someday become hams and join your ham radio club. 02:00:49.001 --> 02:00:54.000 If your local radio station is truly active in the community, you can invite them 02:00:54.000 --> 02:00:56.001 to broadcast live from your event if they want to. 02:00:56.001 --> 02:01:00.001 They can do this with minimal cost and equipment, sometimes requiring nothing 02:01:00.001 --> 02:01:03.001 more than a cell phone and a station logo on a banner. 02:01:04.000 --> 02:01:07.001 So always be looking for new ways to promote your club's fundraiser. 02:01:07.001 --> 02:01:13.000 In my opinion, in today's computer-automated world, the more you automate, the 02:01:13.000 --> 02:01:17.000 more you mail, the more you collect addresses, the easier and faster you can 02:01:17.000 --> 02:01:21.001 promote next year's event over a period of years with good record-keeping. 02:01:22.000 --> 02:01:26.001 You can turn promotion to a matter of updating last year's PSA, which is still 02:01:26.001 --> 02:01:31.000 stored in your computer, with the correct date, printing new flyers and PSAs, new 02:01:31.000 --> 02:01:35.001 address labels, and within 30 minutes, the entire effort can often be a few 02:01:35.001 --> 02:01:37.001 keystrokes and mouse clicks to your computer. 02:01:37.001 --> 02:01:43.001 This is Greg Stoddard reporting for This Week in Amateur Radio. 02:02:07.001 --> 02:02:11.000 [...] PSA reports things as snow depth and ice accumulation to meteorologists 02:02:11.000 --> 02:02:14.001 quickly and efficiently through local repeater nets connected 02:02:14.001 --> 02:02:16.001 to the Weather Services Office. 02:02:17.001 --> 02:02:21.001 Christopher Strong, Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the Baltimore 02:02:21.001 --> 02:02:27.000 -Washington Weather Forecast Office, states, Reports of snow and ice are vital to 02:02:27.000 --> 02:02:29.000 keeping the forecast on track. 02:02:29.001 --> 02:02:34.000 Automated reporting stations are great at detailing temperatures, rainfall and 02:02:34.000 --> 02:02:37.000 winds, but do not report snow and ice accumulation. 02:02:38.000 --> 02:02:43.000 So, spotter reports really help us see how much is accumulating and match it up 02:02:43.000 --> 02:02:46.000 with how much we expected through that time. 02:02:46.000 --> 02:02:50.001 Reports from radio amateurs and other spotters help the National Weather Service 02:02:50.001 --> 02:02:55.000 save lives and property in the community and minimize the impact of 02:02:55.000 --> 02:02:56.001 severe weather on the public. 02:02:57.000 --> 02:03:02.000 To find out more about becoming a Skywarn spotter, please visit the Skywarn page 02:03:02.000 --> 02:03:07.000 on the National Weather Service website and click on the link to contact the 02:03:07.000 --> 02:03:10.000 Warning Coordination Meteorologist in your area. 02:03:10.000 --> 02:03:16.000 What began in 1921 as the Radio Society of Christchurch in New Zealand is now a 02:03:16.000 --> 02:03:21.001 robust club of enthusiasts known as the Christchurch Amateur Radio Club, ZL3AC. 02:03:22.000 --> 02:03:27.001 The club has traveled a long road displaced by earthquakes in 2010 and 2011, but 02:03:27.001 --> 02:03:29.001 is now happily ensconced in Pendleton. 02:03:29.001 --> 02:03:35.001 Members are marking the 100-year journey by operating as ZL100RSC throughout 02:03:35.001 --> 02:03:40.001 February and offering an informal award to anyone who contacts the station on 02:03:40.001 --> 02:03:45.000 VHF, UHF, HF, or through digital voice reflectors, 02:03:45.001 --> 02:03:48.000 repeaters, Earth and Earth and satellites. 02:03:48.000 --> 02:03:54.000 For the award, Hams must contact ZL100RSC, which is worth 25 points. 02:03:55.000 --> 02:03:59.001 10 points may also be earned by contacting the club station ZL3AC. 02:04:00.001 --> 02:04:05.001 Individual Christchurch club members are worth 5 points each. February 15 is a 02:04:05.001 --> 02:04:10.000 bonus day. That's the 100th anniversary of the club's first meeting and on that 02:04:10.000 --> 02:04:12.001 day all points earned are being doubled. 02:04:12.001 --> 02:04:19.000 For more details, visit the QRZ page for ZL100RSC. That's Zululema 02:04:19.000 --> 02:04:21.001 100, Romeo Sahara Charlie. 02:04:43.000 --> 02:04:45.001 [...] working with ZL1AC for over a decade. 02:04:46.001 --> 02:04:52.001 I have been working with ZL1AC for over a decade 02:04:52.001 --> 02:04:58.001 and I have been working with ZL1AC for 02:04:58.001 --> 02:05:04.001 over a decade and I have been working with ZL1AC for 02:05:04.001 --> 02:05:09.000 over a decade. 02:05:12.000 --> 02:05:18.000 Thank you for making it possible for me to make 500 episodes, for welcoming me 02:05:18.000 --> 02:05:22.001 into the community, for being a fellow amateur. Thank you. 02:05:23.001 --> 02:05:29.001 During the week I received an email from Sunil, VictorUniform3ZuluAlphaNovember, 02:05:30.000 --> 02:05:34.001 who shared with me something evocative with the encouragement to bring it the 02:05:34.001 --> 02:05:37.000 attention and appreciation it deserves. 02:05:38.000 --> 02:05:43.000 By way of introduction, on the 13th of June 2002, Ken, 02:05:43.001 --> 02:05:49.001 Whiskey6NovemberKiloEcho, became a silent key. Ken was an amateur, 02:05:50.000 --> 02:05:51.001 an active one, by all accounts. 02:05:52.000 --> 02:05:57.001 I never met Ken, but his activity list is long and varied. Ken became interested 02:05:57.001 --> 02:06:01.000 in ham radio as a teenager in the 1930s. 02:06:01.000 --> 02:06:05.001 He was a long-time advocate of CW and during World War II he taught 02:06:05.001 --> 02:06:07.000 Morse code to Navy operators. 02:06:08.000 --> 02:06:14.000 In 1975 he founded the Sherlock Holmes Wireless Society and was editor of its 02:06:14.000 --> 02:06:17.001 newsletter, now called the Log of the Canonical Hamz. 02:06:18.001 --> 02:06:25.000 He received his investiture from the Baker Street Irregulars in 1981. Ken was an 02:06:25.000 --> 02:06:29.000 early member of the International Morse Preservation Society or FISTs. 02:06:29.000 --> 02:06:35.000 He held number 0818. He was the president of Chapter 2 of the Old Old-timers 02:06:35.000 --> 02:06:37.001 Club, the OOTC for many years. 02:06:38.001 --> 02:06:44.001 In addition to drawing cover art, Ken also wrote lots. 7-3 Magazine features 02:06:44.001 --> 02:06:50.000 plenty of Ken's articles with titles like Inexpensive Vertical, Don't Bug Me Dad 02:06:50.000 --> 02:06:52.000 and The DX Hunter. 02:06:52.001 --> 02:06:57.001 Ken was also a poet, which brings us to the way that I think is appropriate to 02:06:57.001 --> 02:07:00.000 mark the 500th episode of this podcast. 02:07:01.000 --> 02:07:05.001 I'm confident that you can relate to this contribution by Ken to Amateur Radio, 02:07:06.001 --> 02:07:12.000 published in volume 1, number 3 of 7-3 Magazine in December 1960. 02:07:13.001 --> 02:07:20.000 The Vagabond Ham by Ken Johnson, Whiskey6NovemberKiloEcho, silent key A 02:07:20.000 --> 02:07:25.001 vagabond's life is the life I live, along with others ready to give, a friendly 02:07:25.001 --> 02:07:30.000 laugh and a word of cheer to each vagabond friend both far and near. 02:07:31.000 --> 02:07:36.001 I travel the airwaves day or night, to visit places I'll never sight, from the 02:07:36.001 --> 02:07:40.001 rail of a ship or from a plane, yet I'll visit them all again and again. 02:07:41.001 --> 02:07:46.001 I never hear from a far-off land that my pulse doesn't quicken, with careful hand 02:07:46.001 --> 02:07:51.001 I tune my receiver and VFO dial to make a new friend and chat for a while. 02:07:53.000 --> 02:07:58.000 Africa, Asia, they're all quite near, in as easy reach as my radio gear. With the 02:07:58.000 --> 02:08:02.000 flip of a switch, the turn of a knob, I can work a ZL, a friend named Bob. 02:08:03.001 --> 02:08:08.000 There's an LU4, a fellow that's grand, who's described to me his native land, 02:08:08.000 --> 02:08:12.000 till I can hear the birds and feel the breeze as it blows from 02:08:12.000 --> 02:08:13.001 the slopes of the mighty Andes. 02:08:14.001 --> 02:08:19.000 I learned of the surf and a coral strand, the smell of hibiscus where palm trees 02:08:19.000 --> 02:08:23.000 stand, near the tropical moons, silver and bright, from an 02:08:23.000 --> 02:08:25.000 FO8 that I worked one night. 02:08:26.000 --> 02:08:31.000 I've thrilled to the tales of night-bird screams, in the depths of the jungle 02:08:31.000 --> 02:08:37.000 where death-laden streams, flown ye verdant growth of browns and greens, from a 02:08:37.000 --> 02:08:38.001 DU6 in the Philippines. 02:08:40.000 --> 02:08:45.000 The moors of Scotland, a little French shrine, German castles on the River Rhine, 02:08:45.001 --> 02:08:49.000 of these things I've learned over the air, without ever 02:08:49.000 --> 02:08:50.001 leaving my ham-shack chair. 02:08:51.001 --> 02:08:56.000 There's a KL7 on top of the world, to whom the northern lights are a banner 02:08:56.000 --> 02:09:00.001 unfurled, that sweeps across the arctic night, makes the frozen 02:09:00.001 --> 02:09:02.001 sky a thing of delight. 02:09:03.001 --> 02:09:09.000 Tales of silver and gold and precious stones, ancient temples and moulding bones, 02:09:09.001 --> 02:09:15.000 where the natives, I'm told, are tall and tan, by an XE3 down in Yucatan. 02:09:16.000 --> 02:09:22.000 My vagabond trips over the air will take me, well, just anywhere, where other 02:09:22.000 --> 02:09:26.000 vagabonds and I will meet, from a tropical isle to a city street. 02:09:26.001 --> 02:09:31.001 My vagabonds life will continue, I know, through the fabulous hobby of ham radio, 02:09:32.000 --> 02:09:36.000 and one day, from out at the world's end, we'll meet on the 02:09:36.000 --> 02:09:38.000 air, my vagabond friend. 02:09:39.000 --> 02:09:42.001 I'm on a Victor Kilo 6 Foxtrot Lima Alpha Bravo. 02:09:42.001 --> 02:09:47.001 Originating from Albany, New York and distributed worldwide, you are listening to 02:09:47.001 --> 02:09:49.001 This Week in Amateur Radio. 02:10:12.001 --> 02:10:16.001 [...] heard on This Week in Amateur Radio have been provided by the American 02:10:16.001 --> 02:10:23.000 Radio Relay League, the AWRL Letter, the AWRL Audio News, the Southgate Amateur 02:10:23.000 --> 02:10:29.000 Radio News Service, Southgate Vibes, AMSAT, the Radio Amateurs of Canada, the 02:10:29.000 --> 02:10:35.001 FCC, the Radio Society of Great Britain and Ofcom, the SARL, the International 02:10:35.001 --> 02:10:40.000 Amateur Radio Union, the Wireless Institute of Australia, the Amateur Radio 02:10:40.000 --> 02:10:44.000 Newsline, the International Telecommunication Nations Union and various news 02:10:44.000 --> 02:10:46.000 sources on the internet. 02:10:46.001 --> 02:10:51.001 And finally, This Week, the popular American TV show Last Man Standing is 02:10:51.001 --> 02:10:53.001 preparing to go QRT. 02:10:54.001 --> 02:10:58.001 When the show wraps up its final day of shooting this spring, it's going to be 02:10:58.001 --> 02:11:00.001 saying farewell, ham radio style. 02:11:00.001 --> 02:11:05.001 The primetime show, which became a showcase for amateur radio through its main 02:11:05.001 --> 02:11:12.000 character Mike Baxter, KA0XTT, is leaving the air after nine years, but 02:11:12.000 --> 02:11:16.000 not before it first gets on the air on the amateur bands. 02:11:16.000 --> 02:11:22.001 Executive Producer John Momadio, AA6JA, said that a big farewell special event 02:11:22.001 --> 02:11:28.001 station is planned for KA6LMS between March 14th and March 30th, the 02:11:28.001 --> 02:11:30.001 last day of the show's production. 02:11:31.000 --> 02:11:35.001 At that point, the mailing address of the Last Man Standing Amateur Radio Club 02:11:35.001 --> 02:11:42.000 will also change to 11684 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 810, Studio 02:11:42.000 --> 02:11:45.000 City, California, 91604. 02:11:46.000 --> 02:11:51.000 The show grew even more popular after star Tim Allen made things real by getting 02:11:51.000 --> 02:11:54.001 the call sign KK6OTD. 02:11:55.000 --> 02:11:59.000 It also features guest radio operators on the set during meal breaks. 02:11:59.001 --> 02:12:04.000 John went on to say that rather than have it slip away silently, we should have 02:12:04.000 --> 02:12:08.000 one more activation of KA6LMS now. 02:12:08.000 --> 02:12:14.000 With operators from the Great South Bay Amateur Radio Club, the K2H special event 02:12:14.000 --> 02:12:19.000 station, and the 12 Days of Christmas, the activation will give everyone a last 02:12:19.000 --> 02:12:23.001 chance to work KA6LMS in an ambitious special event. 02:12:24.001 --> 02:12:30.001 Be listening on CW, SSB, D-Star, DMR, RIDI, 02:12:31.000 --> 02:12:36.001 PSK, and FT8. Consider it one last hurrah for Last Man Standing. 02:12:36.001 --> 02:12:41.001 This week in Amateur Radio is heard on nets and repeaters all across North 02:12:41.001 --> 02:12:46.000 America, and around the world on great repeater systems like our flagship 02:12:46.000 --> 02:12:53.000 repeater K2RHI on 146. 940 MHz, serving the tri-cities 02:12:53.000 --> 02:12:57.001 of New York State's Capital Region from Mount Refinesque in Brunswick, New York. 02:12:57.001 --> 02:13:01.000 This week in Amateur Radio is produced by Community Video Associates 02:13:01.000 --> 02:13:05.001 Incorporated. Now for the staff of This Week in Amateur Radio, this is Jeff 02:13:05.001 --> 02:13:09.000 Rauner, WV2AEQ, saying 73 until next week. 02:13:09.001 --> 02:13:12.001 This week in Amateur Radio is copyright Community Video Associates 02:13:12.001 --> 02:13:14.001 Incorporated, all rights reserved.